Category: 2018

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway
The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one's belief or religion
The right to join together and express one's belief
=================================================
Monday 
TAJIKISTAN: ALMOST 2,000 MOSQUES CLOSED IN 2017
Tajikistan has claimed to have closed almost 2,000 mosques in 2017.
Officials claimed they were closed at the request of local residents, but
have not been able to explain why they only allow mosques with a capacity
far below the possible numbers of worshippers.
TAJIKISTAN: ALMOST 2,000 MOSQUES CLOSED IN 2017
By Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18
On 5 February 2018 Tajikistan's State Committee for Religious Affairs and
Regulation of Traditions, Ceremonies and Rituals (SCRA) claimed that 1,938
mosques were in 2017 forcibly closed and converted to secular uses.
However, human rights defender Faizinisso Vokhidova noted that the SCRA's
claims that the mosques were illegal is not credible. She also noted that
many closed mosques had refused to complain about their closure, even when
offered legal assistance in bring court cases. "They were afraid to do so",
Vokhidova told Forum 18 (see below).
Press conferences were in early January held in various parts of Tajikistan
to announce local mosque closures and the alleged reasons for this. Two
typical examples were in the northern Sogd Region, in Isfara and in
Bobojon-Gofurov District. In both cases, officials claimed the mosques were
closed at the request of local residents. In neither case were officials
able to explain to Forum 18 why they only allow mosques with a capacity far
below the possible numbers of worshippers (see below).
The authorities are highly dismissive of questions about the mosque
closures. When Forum 18 on 19 February asked the SCRA official responsible
for work with mosques why so many have been closed, he put the phone down
and then put on a recorded message with a female voice repeatedly saying:
"Who are you, where are you calling, what an idiot". His phone continued to
play this message with a male voice the following day (see below).
Imprisoned Jehovah's Witness prisoner of conscience Daniil Islamov is
preparing to appeal for the last time to the Supreme Court against his
six-month jail term imposed in October 2017 for refusing compulsory
military service (see forthcoming F18News article). On 28 November the
Supreme Court ruled that his case should be sent back to the first instance
Court for "correction of mistakes in the decision". On 5 October the United
Nations (UN) Working Group on Arbitrary Detention publicly stated that
Tajikistan should release prisoner of conscience Islamov "immediately" (see
F18News 5 December 2017
<
 This has not
happened.
Ongoing forced mosque closures
All exercise of the freedom of religion and belief is under tight state
control and surveillance, with Muslims being particularly targetted for
restrictions. There are, for example, severe limitations on the numbers of
mosques permitted and activities allowed inside those mosques. These
limitations are backed by repeated mosque and Islamic prayer room closures
(see Forum 18's Tajikistan religious freedom survey
<
 The state continues
to forcibly close Mosques and Muslim prayer rooms as well as impose
increased surveillance and controls on the mosques they do permit (see eg.
F18News 6 May 2016 
<
Officials also repeatedly attempt to stop Muslim man wearing beards and
Muslim women wearing the hijab (headscarf) (see eg. F18News 2 August 2017
<
At least nine Muslim men - including an imam and a well-known heart surgeon
- are known to have been jailed as prisoners of conscience since August
2017 in the northern Sogd Region in three separate cases. All received five
years or more jail terms. Officials refused to explain what they had done
wrong (see F18News 4 December 2017
<
Religion Law changes in 2018 have imposed further restrictions, including:
allowing the state to restrict manifestations of freedom of religion or
belief on a wide range of grounds not permitted under international human
rights obligations; increasing religious organisations' requirements to
report all their activity to the state; requiring state approval for the
appointment of all Imams; and increasing state control both on religious
education at home, and on those travelling abroad for such education. The
changes also make it even more difficult for Muslims who are not Sunni and
Hanafi (the only permitted Islamic school) to establish mosques (see
F18News 19 February 2018
<
The mosque closure campaign parallels similar forced closures when
Tajikistan was part of the Soviet Union. Throughout all the territory of
the Soviet Union very large numbers of mosques, churches and other places
of worship were closed, and their buildings confiscated for secular uses.
Almost 2,000 mosques converted in 2017 to secular uses
On 5 February 2018 Khuseyn Shokirov, who is responsible for the SCRA's work
with mosques, claimed at a press conference that "1,938 illegal mosques
were in 2017 converted to cultural and medical centres, kindergartens,
teahouses and so on".  Shokirov also claimed that 231 mosques were given
more time to prepare documents. He claimed that the closed mosques "did not
have proper documents for land, and some of them were not officially
registered as religious communities", Asia-Plus noted on 5 February. This
type of excuse is normal when the authorities close mosques (see Forum 18's
Tajikistan religious freedom survey
<
The authorities also used the excuse that "many of those mosques did not
have proper certificates from the State Land Committees or the SCRA",
Faizinisso Vokhidova, an independent human rights defender from the capital
Dushanbe, told Forum 18 on 20 February. 
However, human rights defender Vokhidova pointed out that this does not
make the mosques illegal.  "Without the endorsement of the local
authorities and Land Committees the mosques could not have been built," she
stated, "because otherwise the authorities would have raided these
buildings and closed them down a long time ago." She also noted that some
of the closed mosques were at least 50 years old, and so were built during
the Soviet period.
Human rights defender Vokhidova also pointed out that "it is the duty of
the Land Committee and the SCRA to provide existing communities with all
necessary documents for their mosque buildings and not wait for them to
request them". So they cannot be described as illegal because of certain
missing papers.
Fear
Many in Tajikistan fear discussing freedom of religion and belief and other
human rights violations, for fear of state reprisals (see Forum 18's
Tajikistan religious freedom survey
<
 Human rights
defender Vokhidova stated that she knew of many closed mosques had refused
to complain about their closure, even when offered legal assistance in
bring court cases. "They were afraid to do so", Vokhidova told Forum 18.
Press conferences were in early January held in various parts of Tajikistan
to announce local mosque closures and the alleged reasons for this. Two
typical examples were in the northern Sogd Region, in Isfara and in
Bobojon-Gofurov District.
Isfara: "Discrepancy with sanitary rules" ?
On 24 January Dilshod Rasulzoda, then-Head of Administration in Isfara,
told a press conference that 45 mosques were closed in the city in 2017 due
to "discrepancy with sanitary rules and inappropriate conditions in them".
He then claimed that local residents asked for the mosques to be converted
to secular uses.
However, a former Imam of a mosque in Isfara forcibly closed in 2017 stated
on 21 February 2018 that Muslims from his district now have to go to a
mosque in a neighboring mahalla (residential area). "Many of the Muslims
from my mosque are old and some are ailing. It is hard for them to walk
several kilometers on unlit streets, especially in the early morning and
late evening". The Mosque had existed since Soviet times.
Rasulzoda refused to talk to Forum 18 on 16 February, as has has been
dismissed from his position. Isfara Administration Press Secretary Ikbol
Teshayev told Forum 18 on 20 February that Rasulzoda's dismissal was not
related to mosque closures. When asked about the mosque closures, he
refused to discuss them and then claimed "We still have 100 five-fold
mosques functioning, and they can attend those".
Five-fold mosques are the smallest size of mosque permitted, and are
intended for districts with a population of between 100 and 1,000 people
(see Forum 18's March 2011 Tajikistan religious freedom survey
<
 As Isfara has a
population of over 250,000 people, Forum 18 asked what would happen if more
than the maximum mosque capacity of 10,000 wanted to attend mosques.
Teshayev refused to answer the question and then refused to talk more to
Forum 18.
Bobojon-Gofurov District: Local residents asked for mosque closures?
Zarif Valizoda, Head of Bobojon-Gofurov District Admnistration, told a 30
January press conference that 46 mosques were closed down in the District
in 2017 "because they were built illegally. Some of them were built 50
meters away from each other". Like his then-colleague Rasulzoda of Isfara,
Valizoda also claimed that local residents asked for the mosques to be
converted to secular uses.
When Forum 18 asked Valizoda on 20 February why these previously-existing
mosques have become illegal, he claimed that "I never said they were
illegal." Asked why they were closed, Valizoda claimed that "we did not
close down the mosques, but the local residents asked us to convert their
mosques into various facilities and use them for different purposes".
Administration head Valizoda then claimed to Forum 18 that "all the mosques
that were closed down only had up to 30 people attending". Similar excuses
have long been used by the authorities (see eg. F18News 10 October 2007
<
Valizoda claimed that there were still 136 five-fold mosques in the
district. When Forum 18 asked how their maximum permitted capacity of
13,600 could accommodate the roughly 360,000 people in the District who
might attend Friday prayers, Valizoda would not answer.
Q: Why are mosques being closed? A: "What an idiot".
The authorities are highly dismissive of questions about the mosque
closures. When Forum 18 on 19 February asked Shokirov of the SCRA why so
many mosques were forcibly closed, he claimed that he could not hear the
question and then put the phone down. When Forum 18 rang back, a recorded
message with a female voice repeatedly said: "Who are you, where are you
calling, what an idiot". On 20 February Shokirov's phone was answered with
the same recorded message, but this time with a male voice.
SCRA Legal Expert Abdurakhmon Mavlanov refused to discuss the enforced
mosque closures on 15 February, and did not answer his phone at any time
between 15 and 19 February.
In videos from October 2017 seen by Forum 18, SCRA representative Shokirjon
Holdorov is apparently seen demanding the closure of a mosque in Rudaki
District, to the south of Dushanbe. In one video Holdorov is apparently
drunk according to others in the film. Holdorov then threatens the imam and
mosque attendees using foul language. "I have been warning you for six
months. If you don't shut this down, I will label you all Salafis and you
will all go to jail", the man who appears to be Holdorov states.
The Salafi school of thought is banned in Tajikistan, even though no
official has been able to explain to Forum 18 what if any crimes these
Muslims have committed (see Forum 18's Tajikistan religious freedom survey
<
 Courts have jailed
Salafis for up to 16 years even though no official has been able to
describe to Forum 18 any alleged crimes that were committed (see F18News 19
February 2018 
<
The mosque was later closed, and Holdorov was "given a verbal warning for
his behaviour" Eurasianet reported on 5 February 2018. (END)
More coverage of freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Tajikistan is
at 
<
For more background see Forum 18's Tajikistan religious freedom survey at
<
A compilation of Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE) freedom of religion or belief commitments can be found at
<
A printer-friendly map of Tajikistan is available at
<
Twitter: @Forum_18
Follow us on Facebook: @Forum18NewsService
All Forum 18 material may be referred to, quoted from, or republished in
full, if Forum 18  is credited as the source.
© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved. ISSN 1504-2855.
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                                        Monday, 
Armenian Presidential Frontrunner Endorsed By Tsarukian
 . Ruzanna Stepanian
Armenia - President Serzh Sarkisan and Gagik Tsarukian attend an
awards ceremony for Armenian athletes near Yerevan, 27Dec2017
Businessman Gagik Tsarukian and his political alliance have thrown
their weight behind the man nominated by President Serzh Sarkisian's
Republican Party (HHK) for the post of Armenia's president.
With the Tsarukian Bloc controlling the second largest faction in the
Armenian parliament, the decision means that the presidential
candidate, Armen Sarkissian, will almost certainly be elected head of
state in the first round of voting slated for March 2.
Under the Armenian constitution, Sarkissian needs to be backed by at
least 79 members of the 105-seat National Assembly in order to win
outright. The HHK and the Tsarukian Bloc hold 65 and 31 parliament
seats respectively.
The bloc, which is officially in opposition to the government,
announced the endorsement of Sarkissian's candidacy after a weekend
meeting of its parliamentary faction chaired by Tsarukian.
In his televised remarks made at the meeting, Tsarukian praised the
former Armenian prime minister, saying that the latter has pledged to
help create many jobs and attract "big investments" to Armenia. "He is
now saying what we all say, desire and aim for," added the tycoon.
As part of his consultations held with various Armenian political
groups in recent weeks, Sarkissian has met separately with Tsarukian
and senior lawmakers from his bloc.
Sarkissian's endorsement by Tsarukian also means that he we will be
running for president unopposed. The opposition Yelk alliance moved in
December to nominate its own presidential candidate, Artak
Zeynalian. It asked the Tsarukian Bloc to support Zeynalian's
candidacy.
The recently amended constitution stipulates that a presidential
hopeful has to be backed by at least 27 lawmakers to have their name
included on the ballot. Yelk holds only 9 parliament seats.
The next president of the republic will be sworn in on April 9. With
Armenia switching to a parliamentary system of government, he will
have largely ceremonial powers.
Opposition Party Seeking `United Front' Against Sarkisian's Continued
Rule
 . Sisak Gabrielian
Armenia - Opposition leader Raffi Hovhannisian, speaks in Yerevan,
22Sep2017
Raffi Hovannisian's Zharangutyun party said on Monday that it hopes to
form a coalition of opposition forces that would try to prevent
President Serzh Sarkisian from extending his decade-long rule.
Zharangutyun's new chairman, Armen Martirosian, told RFE/RL's Armenian
service (Azatutyun.am) that it is discussing with various groups and
individuals the possibility of forming a "united front" against
Sarkisian's perceived plans to become prime minister. "Such
discussions have already started and they started some time ago," he
said.
Martirosian said Sarkisian's presidency has been a failure and he must
not be allowed to hold on to power after completing his final term on
April 9. "I think that the fight must be not so much against Serzh
Sarkisian as for reforms, for radical changes in the country," he
said.
Martirosian added that Zharangutyun is specifically ready to team up
with extraparliamentary opposition forces, including former President
Levon Ter-Petrosian's Armenian National Congress (HAK).
The HAK's deputy chairman, Levon Zurabian, reacted cautiously to the
idea. "Let's talk, let's discuss, let's see whether that is possible,
whether the current state of public consciousness is enough for
organizing such an outburst," he said.
Zurabian indicated last week that the HAK will not join forces with
another opposition group, the Yelk alliance. He said Yelk leaders,
notably Nikol Pashinian, themselves made things easier for Sarkisian
when they refused to campaign against his controversial constitutional
changes in 2015.
Neither Zharangutyun nor the HAK is represented in the current
Armenian parliament elected last April. Zharangutyun contested the
last general elections in an alliance with former Defense Minister
Seyran Ohanian and former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. According
to the official election results, their ORO alliance got only 2
percent of the vote.
An HAK-led electoral bloc fared even worse. By contrast, Yelk won 9
seats in the 105-member parliament.
Pashinian warned earlier this month that the outgoing president could
heighten political tensions in Armenia if he becomes prime
minister. Still, Yelk has yet to clarify whether it will stage street
protests to try to scuttle Sarkisian's continued rule.
Martirosian took over as Zharangutyun chairman on Saturday following
the resignation of Hovannisian, the party's founder and longtime
leader. He insisted that Hovannisian will not retire from politics and
will remain a member of the party's governing board.
Activists See Environmental Reasons For Armenian Mine Shutdown
 . Anush Muradian
Armenia -- A public discussion in Yerevan: `Insulating mining
industry: Who will prevent the disaster of Teghut and rehabilitate the
destructed nature?'. 26Feb., 2018
Production operations at a large copper mine in northern Armenia were
halted last month because of its faulty waste disposal facilities,
environment protection activists claimed on Monday.
A private mining company, Vallex Group, sent the vast majority of its
1,200 employees working at the Teghut deposit on indefinite leave on
January 12, citing the need for "planned prophylactic repairs." Vallex
announced on February 2 that it will lay them off due to what it
expects to be a "prolonged stoppage" of mining and ore processing at
Teghut. It claimed that it needs time to commission feasibility
studies on its plans to significantly boost production there.
In the months leading up to the shutdown, Armenian environmentalists
repeatedly reported toxic leaks from Teghut's waste disposal reservoir
contaminating a nearby river. Vallex denied those reports.
Rafael Afrikian of the Union of Informed Citizens (UIC) said on Monday
that he and other members of the Yerevan-based civic group traveled to
Teghut shortly after the announcement of the mass layoffs. He said
they witnessed and documented evidence of Vallex of dumping industrial
waste into the Debed river through a pipe during the night hours.
Levon Galstian, who leads the non-governmental Armenian Ecological
Front, claimed that the pipe was secretly laid seven months ago in
breach of the Armenian government's environmental regulations. He
insisted that Vallex is not allowed to do that.
Artur Grigorian, another environmental activist, echoed the
allegations, saying that his Ecological Right group has decided to sue
Vallex.
Galstian also alleged that the Liechtenstein-registered company
temporarily shut down the mine to avoid a bigger environmental
disaster. "The company stopped operations because the tailings dump
could crumble at any moment," he told a joint news conference with the
other activists.
Vallex declined to immediately comment on these claims. A spokeswoman
said the company would only respond to written inquiries.
RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am)already sent such a request
for comment earlier this month. Responding to it, Vallex did not
clearly explain whether the Teghut shutdown had to do with its
tailings dump.
Armenia -- President Serzh Sarkisian visits the Teghut mine, 19 April,
2014.
Meanwhile, the Armenian Ministry for Environment Protection said it
cannot comment on the claims before inspecting the site. A ministry
spokesman acknowledged that no environmental inspections have been
conducted at Teghut ever since operations there began in late 2014.
Lena Nazarian, an opposition parliamentarian who also spoke at the
news conference, said that she was not allowed to enter the site when
she travelled to Teghut recently. "The lack of transparency in their
activities raises many suspicions," she said of Vallex.
It remains unclear when Vallex plans to reopen the mine. The Teghut
operator said on February 2 that it will keep a skeleton staff of
around 300 employees who will guard the site and look after its
industrial equipment. It also said that 200 other laid-off workers
will be transferred to other mining enterprises belonging to
Vallex. Those include a copper smelter in the nearby town of Alaverdi
and metal mines in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Teghut generated over 42 percent of Vallex's total operating revenue
which soared by about 32 percent to $358 million last year. The mining
group benefited from increased international prices of copper and
other non-ferrous metals.
Press Review
(Saturday, February 24)
"Haykakan Zhamanak" writes on the approaching anniversary of the March
2008 post-election violence in Yerevan which left ten people dead and
dozens of others injured. Nobody has since been prosecuted in
connection with those deaths. "When Armenia's leader shows an interest
in the condemnation of the [Armenian] genocide by other nations so
that more genocides are not committed is he also interested in
punishing those responsible for the March 1 [violence] on the same
grounds?" asks the paper. "There is no hope that the authorities will
try to solve the March 1 crime." It also sees no "public demand" for
solving the case.
"Zhamanak" says that Armen Sarkissian's "smooth" election by the
parliament as Armenia's new president is not a forgone conclusion. The
paper says that it is not clear what kind of "agreements" he and Gagik
Tsarukian reached at their recent unpublicized meeting.
"Without mutual concessions, for which the parties are not prepared
now, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict cannot be resolved," Konstantin
Zatulin, a Russian lawmaker and pundit, tells "168 Zham." "Both sides
need to make painful concessions. It has long been said that a
settlement will not be possible unless Armenia cedes some districts
and Azerbaijan recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh's independence. Karabakh
has exercised its right to self-determination and I'm not inclined to
think that Karabakh can ever be a part of Azerbaijan # So Azerbaijan
should drop that claim [to Karabakh.]" Zatulin also says that Russia
is now doing its best to prevent another escalation of the conflict
and sustain the military balance between the warring sides. He says
large-scale Russian arms supplies to Azerbaijan were a "mistake" which
Moscow corrected after the April 2016 fighting in Karabakh.
(Tatev Danielian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2018 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
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