The Constitution of the Republic of Tajikistan recognizes all norms and principles of observance of religious freedom. The Constitution of the Republic of Tajikistan provides for the establishment of a democratic, secular and legal state, and the equality of citizens, regardless of their religious and political affiliation. Our experience shows that this secular state is a guarantor of stability and security in modern Tajikistan.
As a member of the working group on the development of the law on freedom of conscience and religious associations, I can confirm that when the first version of this law was adopted, all 16 proposals of the OSCE / ODIHR were taken into account during its preparation. The law provides equal opportunities for institutions and religious associations and for representatives of all religious faiths and movements. So today in Tajikistan there are 4 thousand religious associations, including about 80 representatives of other religions and movements. For comparison, in Soviet times, only 17 mosques functioned. I can inform you that with the support of the leader of the nation of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, in the near future in the capital of Tajikistan, Dushanbe, the largest mosque in Central Asia with a capacity of 120 thousand people will open. An important achievement for Tajikistan is respect for the rights of religious minorities. The law guarantees not only the rights of believers, but also the rights of non-believers. In the end, I want to limit the activities of extremist religious and terrorist organizations that use religion for political purposes can not be considered restrictions on the religious rights of citizens. Since these organizations are not included in the category of religious organizations, in this connection it can be said that countries that support extremist and terrorist organizations and facilitate their participation even at high OSCE conferences will be responsible for security in this region.
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