Asia-Plus: Sughd entrepreneur fined 117,000 somoni for birthday celebration

Asia-Plus, dated 30 March 2026, reports that the Bobojon Ghafurov district court in Sughd region fined Amirjon Kholmatov (Амирҷон Холматов), 29, head of the LLC “Sikhkabobi Amiri,” 117,000 somoni for holding a birthday celebration “outside the family circle” and violating the law on regulation of festivities and ceremonies. The article states that Sughd police, in a YouTube announcement, identified Kholmatov as a resident of the Haidar Usmon jamoat of Bobojon Ghafurov district. The article reports that on 1 February 2026 at around 15:00 Kholmatov held the birthday event in his private café and broadcast it live on social media. Authorities stated such “demonstrativeness” could lead others to imitate it. The court imposed the fine under Article 481 part 8 of the Administrative Offences Code, amounting to 117,000 somoni (1,500 calculation indicators) for violating the Law on Regulation of Traditions and Ceremonies. The article states Kholmatov’s own position on the court’s decision is not known. The article adds that in the previous year, criminal cases related to violations of the regulation law were opened against 9 officials in Tajikistan, all at the local level — none at minister or chair rank — according to the Anti-Corruption Agency’s press briefing in February 2026. The agency reported 25 violations of the regulation law in total for the previous year. The article quotes Interior Minister Ramazon Rahimzoda (Рамазон Раҳимзода) that in 2025 his ministry identified 830 cases, down from 1,106 in 2024, which he characterised as an improvement. Author: Shoira Qudrat (Шоираи Қудрат), Asia-Plus. Sources cited: Sughd police YouTube channel; Anti-Corruption Agency press briefing; Interior Minister statement.