Central Asia’s almost exclusively Muslim Tajikistan nation has launched an all-out onslaught against fortune telling, witchcraft, and a host of other occult practices deemed illegal by government efforts to further suppress ancestral ways and impose an even more puritanical community.
Government position on occult practices:
President Emomali Rakhmon has been in power since 1992 and has condemned ritualistic practices like scrying, divination, and witchcraft. In a public declaration, he declared,
“” Illegal religious teaching leads to scams, divination, and witchcraft. Tajiks! The Prophet categorically forbade going to diviners and sorcerers.”
It asserts that such practices don’t only victimize the helpless but also destroy all the values in religion and disorder in society.
Arrests and Punishments
As part of the crackdown, Tajik authorities have arrested over 1,500 people involved in occult activities, along with more than 5,000 mullahs accused of promising healing through prayer. The penalties for practicing or promoting witchcraft are severe, including:
Two years of imprisonment for repeat offenders
A fine of €12,800 ($13,300), equivalent to six years of the average Tajik salary
These measures aim to deter practitioners and discourage public reliance on occult practices.
Practitioners Now Hiding from the Law
Fortune tellers and clairvoyants in Tajikistan operate in secret today so as not to be detained. Adalat, a 56-year-old fortune teller in Dushanbe, said: “I am no longer receiving people into my home. I go there instead. The risk of a heavy fine, public shaming.”
Adalat continues to deliver services discreetly, charging depending on what people need, although she admits that it is no longer a sustainable means of living.
Why Tajiks Seek Fortune-Tellers
Even though the government has been cracking down, many Tajiks still go to fortune-tellers and healers for various reasons: financial and social constraints. For example, a client, Gulbakhor, a 42-year-old housewife, stated:
“It’s cheaper than conventional medicine, which is very expensive.”
The poverty of the country, along with the lack of public healthcare and welfare systems, has pushed people to alternative support sources.
Social and Cultural Background
The growing popularity of occult practices in Tajikistan points to broader issues of social inequality and economic hardship. According to Mehrigiul Ablezova, a sociologist at the American University of Central Asia:
“In countries where health or welfare systems are limited, people may seek alternative sources of treatment and support.”
She also pointed out that these traditions have a long history in Central Asian culture, preceding the introduction of Islam. Repression alone, she said, is unlikely to eradicate them.
Regional Trends in Central Asia
The Tajikistan crackdown on witchcraft is similar to efforts in other Central Asian countries, where governments are trying to suppress practices considered incompatible with Islamic teachings or state policies. However, these measures face resistance from communities that view such practices as integral to their cultural heritage.
While the Tajik government continues to fight against occult practices, experts believe that addressing the root causes of these practices—poverty, lack of healthcare, and limited social services—is critical. Without systemic reforms, these practices are likely to persist, as they offer an alternative form of support for many struggling Tajiks.
In fact, the current clampdown in Tajikistan on witchcraft and divination only underlines the tension between old beliefs and modern governance. In this instance, the grip of the modern state is the stronger force in its attempt to impose order.