USCIRF 2026 Annual Report — Tajikistan (CPC)

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) 2026 Annual Report, published March 2026 and signed by Chair Vicky Hartzler and Vice Chair Asif Mahmood, recommends Tajikistan for redesignation as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC). The Tajikistan chapter (pp. 48–49) reports that religious freedom conditions remained poor in 2025 and that the government targeted Muslims deviating from its preferred interpretation of Hanafi Sunni Islam, including Pamiri Ismaili Shi’a Muslims and groups affiliated with banned religious entities. USCIRF tracked 14 FoRB victims detained in 2025 on “extremism”-related charges. The report states that Saidazam Rahmonov died in custody in October, his body returned with signs of torture including a broken leg and electric shock marks; and that Zubaidullah Raziq, an 83-year-old IRPT scholar imprisoned in 2015, died in prison. It names: Muzaffar Davlatmirov, an Ismaili cleric imprisoned in 2022, who died aged 61 in custody of medical neglect; five Yazgolumi individuals from Darvoz sentenced in June to 5–5½ years each on “extremism”; Obid Quvvatbekov, nephew of imprisoned cleric Mavlavi Abdullobek, sentenced to 5 years for online “extremism” (July); and Farkhud Negmatov, sentenced in May to 8 years by Bobojon Ghafurov District Court for alleged Hizb ut-Tahrir ties. In February, NSC police removed loudspeakers at the Ismaili Center in Khorogh during Aga Khan IV mourning; Dushanbe authorities cut electricity. In July, Governor Alisher Mirzonabot barred Pamiri athletes from the Global Games in Dubai. The report states Tajik officials fined around 600 individuals in first-half 2025 under the traditions law; a 4,500 somoni (US$485) fine was introduced in July under Code 482.1. Internal sources: Frank R. Wolf FoRB Victims List.