Tajikistan Hijab Ban Denied by Authorities Amid Confusion

An official from Tajikistan’s Committee on Religion, Regulation of Traditions, Celebrations and Ceremonies told Asia-Plus that no new legislation prohibiting beards or hijabs had been adopted.

The committee said recent reports had misrepresented the state of religious rights in Tajikistan and had relied on information from unreliable sources.

The government statement followed a July 25 report by Azattyq Asia (RFE/RL) describing continued pressure on some men with beards and women wearing Islamic headscarves.

Azattyq reported that officials had conducted campaigns encouraging women to wear traditional Tajik clothing and avoid styles regarded as foreign. Several men also alleged that police had detained them because of their facial hair, with some claiming that officers forcibly shaved their beards.

One man told the outlet that he had been ordered to send police a photograph of his clean-shaven face each week after spending three days in detention. The police did not respond to Azattyq Asia’s request for comment on the allegation.

There is no Tajik law explicitly prohibiting men from growing beards. However, the government has imposed broader restrictions on clothing and forms of religious expression.

In June 2024, Tajikistan adopted amendments prohibiting the import, sale, promotion, and wearing in public of clothing deemed “alien to national culture”. The Times of Central Asia reported at the time that violations could result in substantial fines, although the legislation did not clearly define which clothes fell under the prohibition.

Officials have offered differing interpretations of the law. Some have said it covers hijabs, religious veils, abayas, and other forms of Islamic clothing, as well as ripped jeans and clothing considered excessively revealing.

The government has said its policies are intended to preserve Tajik traditions and prevent religious extremism. Human rights organizations have argued that the restrictions interfere with freedom of religion and personal expression. International rights groups have called on Tajikistan to repeal the clothing provisions.