Last Updated: Friday, 24 May 2013, 16:08 GMT

Tajikistan suspends two Christian aid groups

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Publication Date 24 April 2009
Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Tajikistan suspends two Christian aid groups, 24 April 2009, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/49fb10f6c.html [accessed 26 May 2013]
DisclaimerThis is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

April 24, 2009

DUSHANBE – Tajikistan's Justice Ministry has suspended the activities of two aid groups because they were promoting Christianity, ministry official Davlat Sulaimonov told RFE/RL's Tajik Service.

The two groups, Hand of Help and Life of Youth, were teaching poor children in foreign languages.

Gulsunoy Maqsudova , the director of Hand of Help in Tajikistan's northern Sughd province, told RFE/RL that she was unaware of the decision by the Justice Ministry and that her group, active in Tajikistan since 2000, has never been in trouble with authorities.

Last year, the government banned six aid groups on the grounds that they promoted non-Islamic religions. One group was allowed to continue working after negotiating with authorities, but the others remain suspended.

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036

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