By Tim Binnall
As part of an ongoing effort to eradicate fortune-telling in Tajikistan, authorities in the central Asian nation have begun targeting clients of such soothsayers. The country's draconian war on witchcraft began back in 2007 when various occult practices were banned with prison time and fines being imposed on those who were found to have broken the law. Earlier this year, officials doubled down on the decree by announcing that a six-month sentence of forced labor had been added to the regulation. In addition to the harsh punishment for self-proclaimed psychics, their prospective customers could soon also find themselves in trouble with the law based on an ominous warning issued earlier this week by the country's Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In a statement posted on its website, the department lamented that "as a result of operational and preventive inspections, it was established that some citizens believe in witchcraft, go to fortune tellers and sorcerers, pay them for criminal actions and trust their predictions." Chillingly, the Ministry of Internal Affairs revealed that "more than 150 such persons" had been identified "over the past month alone." Although it did not say what exactly would become of these individuals, the statement indicated that "legal measures are being taken against them." It is uncertain whether or not this latest tactic will prove successful in curbing the practice of witchcraft in the country and residents would probably be wise not to offer a prediction on the matter.