DUSHANBE, July 18, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Over the first six months of this year, 3,062 juvenile crimes have been reported in Tajikistan, which is 126 cases more than in the same period last year, Tajik Interior Minister Ramazon Rahimzoda announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 18.

According to him, juvenile crime is currently one of the main problems facing Tajikistan.

“The second problem is the attendance of Tajik students at foreign religious schools,” said the minister, noting that illegal foreign religious schools are training terrorists and extremists instead of God-fearing people.

Currently, some 150 Tajik students are studying at such religious schools abroad, Rahimzoda added.

“The third problem is participation of Tajik nationals in foreign armed conflicts,” said the minister, noting that Tajik nationals are fighting in armed conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

He stressed that according to data of Tajik law enforcement authorities, some 200 Tajik are fighting in Syria on the side of rebel forces.

We will recall that Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament on May 22 approved an amendment to the Criminal Code stipulating punishment for Tajik nationals taking part in foreign armed conflicts.

“Another serious problem is drug trafficking,” Rahimzoda said.