Tajikistan moves to ban fortune-telling, impose fines on clients
New proposal expands penalties for mystical practices, raising concerns over personal freedoms and cultural traditions
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan (MNTV) — Tajikistan’s government has submitted draft legislation that would outlaw the use of fortune-telling and other mystical services, extending existing penalties to include not only practitioners but also their clients.
According to the independent outlet Asia-Plus, the proposed amendments would add a new clause to Article 482 of the Code of Administrative Offenses titled “Use of services of a sorcerer, magician, or fortune-teller.” Under the plan, individuals caught seeking such services would face fines ranging from 375 to 750 Tajikistani somoni ($40–80).
The initiative comes as part of a broader state campaign against esoteric practices. In 2023, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that citizens who visited fortune-tellers would be summoned by police and entered into a database with names and photographs.
Authorities said the move was intended to curb demand, though the number of people recorded has not been disclosed.
Penalties for fortune-tellers themselves were significantly increased in 2024. Amendments raised fines for practitioners to 6,000–7,500 Tajisktani somoni ($600–750) and introduced up to 15 days of administrative detention. Lawmakers also toughened the Criminal Code, meaning repeat offenders now face fines of 102,000–136,000 Tajisktani somoni ($10,000–13,600) or prison terms of up to two years.
Officials argue the measures are necessary to combat fraud and protect vulnerable citizens from exploitation. However, civil society observers note that the proposed restrictions could also ignite debate over personal freedoms and traditional cultural practices, which often incorporate elements of mysticism and divination.
The bill will be debated in parliament in the coming weeks. If adopted, it would mark the most sweeping legal attempt yet to eliminate fortune-telling from Tajik society.
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