SOLDIER, FOLLOWER OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, CONVICTED FOR REFUSING TO WEAR UNIFORM IN TAJIKISTAN
Radio Azattyk, 17 October 2017
A military court of Khatlon province of Tajikistan sentenced a soldier—a follower of the religious association of Jehovah's Witnesses who are forbidden in the country—to six months imprisonment for refusing to wear a military uniform. Eighteen-year-old Daniil Islomov was drafted into the army in April of this year by a military commissariat of the Firdavsa district of Dushanbe. At the military commission the youth immediately declared that wearing a military uniform violates his religious convictions. He was refused alternative civilian service and he was sent to serve in one of the military units in the city of Kurgan-Tiube.
The editorial office of Azattyk (Radio Ozodi) was told today at the military court of Khatlon province of Tajikistan that Daniil Islomov was arrested "for refusing to fulfill his obligation of military service." Earlier Alisher Rafikzoda, a judge of the Khatlon military court, told Radio Ozodi that during the investigation Islomov was on the territory of the military unit and after the sentence that was announced last week he was sent to a penal colony of strict regime in the city of Kurgan-Tiube. Relatives of the convict stated that he intends to appeal the sentence.
The teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses contain a total ban on participation in military actions, regardless of whether the war is of an aggressive or defensive nature. Service in the army of any kind is considered unacceptable for followers of the teachings and they cannot wear a military uniform and bear arms.
The activity of the religious organization of
Jehovah's
Witnesses was banned in Tajikistan in the autumn of 2007. At the
time the
authorities declared that representatives of this organization
"systematically
violated the articles of the law 'On religion and religious
organizations.'" In October 2008 a court of the military garrison
of the
city of Dushanbe ordered the total prohibition of the activity of
this
religious organization. (tr. by PDS, posted 25 October 2017)
Editor's note: the case of Daniil Islomov was the subject of a
report from the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary
Detention. That report may be accessed here:
"
Opinion
No. 43/2017 concerning Daniil Islamov (Tajikistan)"
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