Saidazam Rahmonov, a Muslim who lived quietly in Germany, was detained at Tajikistan’s Dushanbe airport in early October for having a beard and religious videos on his phone. He was accused of being a religious extremist planning a terrorist attack, though his family says he was innocent. After a week in custody, Rahmonov’s family received his badly beaten body, showing signs of torture, despite officials claiming he died by suicide. Although most people in Tajikistan are Muslim, the government is strongly secular and fears that religious groups, especially those it labels as “extremist”, could threaten its control or stability. So, it cracks down hard on signs of religiosity, like beards or religious videos, and sometimes arrests or even tortures people suspected of being involved in extremist activities, even without solid proof. Rahmonov’s death reflects this intense crackdown and shows how the government’s fear of religious influence can lead to human rights abuses against innocent people.

Pray for the government of Tajikistan to adhere to international human rights laws and to uphold the rights and freedoms of innocent civilians in the country. Pray for justice to be served for the victims (The Holy Bible, Psalm 14:6).

Pray for the end of rights abuses against innocent civilians in Tajikistan. Pray for a fair and transparent judicial system in the nation. Pray for divine protection upon all the Christians in the country (The Holy Bible, Psalm 37:6).

News Source: RadioFree Europe RadioLiberty

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