In Tajikistan, citizens who turn to fortune tellers, sorcerers, and magicians will now be held administratively liable. According to Asia-Plus, amendments have been made to Article 482 of the country’s Administrative Code, introducing a separate clause titled “Use of the services of a sorcerer, fortune teller, or magician.” Under this provision, individuals who use such services will be fined from 50 to 60 base calculation units.
According to reports, the amendments to the code came into force on July 31, 2025, but the official announcement was only made now. Previously, only the government’s decision of July 31 was made public, which proposed these amendments to parliament for approval.
Over the past year, the country has intensified its fight against fortune tellers and their clients. For example, in the summer of 2024, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan announced that individuals who used the services of fortune tellers and sorcerers would be summoned to official agencies, and their names and photos would be entered into the Ministry’s special database.
Authorities state that the main goal of these measures is to prevent the spread of superstition and the use of witchcraft, as some citizens, by turning to such practices, directly contribute to its dissemination. At the same time, the exact number of people summoned to authorities for contacting fortune tellers and sorcerers has not been disclosed.
In 2024, penalties for fortune telling and witchcraft were also toughened. Parliament amended part 2 of Article 482 of the Administrative Code, increasing fines for citizens to 80–100 base calculation units and adding administrative detention from 10 to 15 days. Previously, the article only provided for a fine of 60–100 base calculation units.
Furthermore, Article 240 of the Criminal Code was also amended. Under the new provisions, if a person, after receiving administrative punishment, engages in fortune telling or witchcraft again within one year, they will face a fine of 1500–2000 base calculation units (approximately 12,000–16,000 USD) or imprisonment for 1 to 2 years. Previously, this act was punishable only administratively.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in the first six months of this year, 495 cases of fortune telling and witchcraft were recorded in Tajikistan.
Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!
