Police in Tajikistan shave beards of 13,000 Muslims

police in Tajikistan shaved beards of nearly 13,000 men and shut down more than 160 shops selling Muslim clothing

In their attempt to curb radicalization, police in Tajikistan shaved beards of nearly 13,000 men and shut down more than 160 shops selling Muslim clothing to end what they called “foreign influences”, a term used to describe radical Islam in the country.

Authorities in the former Soviet republic said that the beards were “overly long and unkempt”, adding that more than 1,773 girls and women were “convinced” to remove their headwear in 2015.

The announcement has come just a week after the Tajik government led by President EmomaliRahmon cracked down on Arabic-sounding “foreign” names saying they are banned. In recent years, names such as Muhammad and Yusuf have become popular for boys in the country of nearly 8.3 million people.