Poverty Driving Young to Join Islamic Radicals

The recent detention of three men for alleged links to Hizb ut-Tahrir brings to around 50 the number of people arrested for belonging to banned Islamic extremist groups in northern Tajikistan.  

An opinion poll which the Youth and Culture group carried out in the city of Khujand and surrounding villages of Soghd region identified poverty as a key motive for young people joining groups like Hizb ut-Tahrir, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Jamoat-e Tabligh.

“The survey showed there are several reasons why young people join extremist groups,” Osim Nosirov, who conducted the survey, told IWPR. “They don’t have stable jobs, so when they’re offered big money to distribute leaflets, they agree to do it. That’s how they get drawn into these groups. Most of the young people [polled] had heard of radical organisations like Hizb ut-Tahrir on at least one occasion.”

Qobiljon Ahmatkhujaev of the Soghd regional government’s committee for youth says officials are aware of the problem and trying to educate young people about the risks of radical Islamic activity.

This audio programme, in Russian and Tajik, went out on national radio stations in Tajikistan, as part of IWPR project work funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.