Secularism in Post-Soviet Central Asia. The Case of Tajikistan

Abstract

In the last years, Tajikistan’s authorities have radically shifted their policies towards religion. While the state is officially secular, they are taking an increasingly exclusive approach, rapidly repressing and reducing the role of religion in society. A similar secularism was dominant during the Soviet rule over Central Asia. Since its independence, the Tajik government has declared the state to be democratic, sovereign and secular, but all of these definitions are rather hollow words in practice. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian. This paper reflects on some of the recent developments in Tajik politics concerning secularism and the role of Islam. Key elements in it are the laws and regulations which visibly aim to transform the nature of Tajik politics by increasing control, not only on social and political but even on the individual levels. My argument is that state policies increasingly compromise personal freedoms and violate human rights. Central to this paper are the process of radical secularization initiated by the Tajik government.