🔸 Murad, a Muslim shopkeeper living in the city of Bokhtar in southern Tajikistan, opens his WhatsApp every week, takes a photo of his fully trimmed beard, and sends it to the police.

🔸 The 38-year-old seller says that since he was ordered to do this, police detained him for having a beard and kept him in detention for three days.

🔸 Murad, whose real name is not being published due to security concerns, says: “I was told to send a photo every week so it would be clear that I’d shaved my beard.”

🔸 According to him, officers accused him of violating public order, which in Tajikistan is considered an administrative offense, and imposed a cash fine of 180 somoni, equivalent to about $18.

🔸 What has happened to Murad is part of a wider trend in Tajikistan. Many citizens of this country say that the choice of clothing, a person’s appearance, and the way they express their religious beliefs have been increasingly influenced by the government’s demands and expectations.

🔸 You can read the full report on the Radio Farda website.