An example of why we cannot have mass immigration from regions of the world whose level of social development is still in the pre-Enlightenment stage. With rare exceptions, virtually all Westerners, from militant atheists to ultra-fundamentalist Christians accept the Enlightenment principle of separation of religion and state (with the remaining points of contention either being on the periphery, or concerning matters of where to draw the line between “free exercise” and “non-establishment”). That’s not the case in some other parts of the world.
Dushanbe (Tajikistan) (AFP) – Tajikistan is set to introduce legislation that would punish practitioners of ‘witchcraft’ and ‘sorcery’ with prison sentences of up to seven years, state television said Thursday.
The authoritarian ex-Soviet country’s government sent to parliament on Wednesday amendments to the criminal code that will see purportedly magical practices previously punished by fines criminalised.
Although the exact activities the legislation will cover were not specified, the law is likely intended to target witch-doctors and healers that have turned their claims to special powers into a business in recent years.
The amendments will face no opposition in the parliament where lawmakers are exclusively loyal to 62-year-old strongman President Emomali Rakhmon.
Tajikistan is known for its harsh legislation which made international news in August when a young man was fined over $600 for sharing cake with friends in a pub on his birthday.
A local court determined he had violated a law on parties which forbids public birthday celebrations and sets limits to the number of guests at weddings and funerals among other restrictions.
