DUSHANBE, June 29, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- A prominent Tajik religious figure and former deputy prime minister, Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda, does not believe that appeals made by the United States and some countries of the European Union over the parental responsibility law will be heard and taken into account by the Tajik side.

“I hope that members of the upper house of Tajik parliament and the president will take into account concern of the United States and some countries of the European Union over the parental responsibility law while considering the law,” said Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda, “But I do not believe that it will happen.”

Besides, Turajonzoda questions sincerity of such calls of foreign countries.  “It seems to me that making such statements, some Western countries just try to attract attention of the public through media and thereby create opinion that that they really adhere to principles of democracy and equality of rights,” said he.  “While actually, during personal meetings with Tajik officials, they support them in such law making.”

According to him, in the case of serious protests or demands from the United States over one or another problem, no one of the Central Asian countries will ignore them.

We will recall that in a statement delivered in Vienna on Tajikistan’s Parental Responsibility Law, Acting Political Counselor at the United States Mission to the OSCE, Patrick Connell, noted on June 23 that the law grants the state power to interfere in family life and includes a ban on youth participation in religious communities, with very limited exceptions.  If the ban is signed into law, it would effectively deny the right to worship to millions of citizens of Tajikistan under the age of 18, Mr. Connell said.

In an interview with Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda on June 17 criticized the parental responsibility law as being openly against the will of God.  Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda told RFE/RL that under the legislation, parents whose underage children are caught attending prayers would be held legally responsible for allowing them to do so.  Turajonzoda also criticized an amendment to Tajikistan''s criminal code approved by parliament on June 15 that makes the opening of illegal religious schools punishable by between five and 12 years in jail.  Previously, running such illegal schools incurred only an administrative punishment or a fine.