Citizens using fortune-telling, sorcery, and witchcraft services in Tajikistan will be held administratively liable. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
According to the amendments made to Article 482 of the country's Administrative Liability Code, those who use such services will be fined 50 to 60 times more. Although these changes came into effect on July 31, 2025, the official announcement was made recently.
In recent years, measures against fortune-tellers and sorcerers have been intensified in Tajikistan. For example, in the summer of 2024, the Ministry of Internal Affairs introduced a procedure to summon citizens who used fortune-telling services to official offices and enter their information into a special database.
Officials emphasize that such measures are aimed at preventing the spread of superstition and witchcraft in society. Additionally, in 2024, penalties for engaging in fortune-telling and witchcraft were increased, with fines raised by 80 to 100 times and administrative detention extended from 10 to 15 days.
According to the amendments to Article 240 of the Criminal Code, a person who has received administrative punishment and repeats fortune-telling within one year will face a fine of 1,500 to 2,000 times the amount or imprisonment from 1 to 2 years. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 495 cases of fortune-telling and witchcraft were identified in the country during the first six months of this year.
These cases demonstrate the urgency of combating such illegal activities in society. Therefore, citizens are advised not to use fortune-telling and witchcraft services.
