Imam of a mosque in Kushonion district of Khatlon province has got a jail term for kicking the musicians out of his nephew’s wedding.

Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, says the Khatlon regional court at the end of last week sentenced a 51-year-old Abdulhannon Mannonov, an imam of one of mosques in Khatlon’s Kushoniyon district, to six years in prison.  The sentence reportedly followed his conviction on charges of calls for extremism.    

Mannonov’s defense lawyer Saidjabbor Aliyev Imam confirmed in an interview with Radio Ozodi information about sentencing but refrained from giving further details.   

Mannonov’s name became known in January this year after the video was posted on social networks, where he tried to forbid the guests to sing and dance at his nephew’s wedding, kicked them out and used foul language. 

Social media users were reportedly outraged by the video and many criticized the mullah’s actions. 

Abdulhannon Mannonov was detained on January 27 and police launched investigation into the case.  It reportedly turned out that Mannonov, hearing music at the house of his brother Abdulmannon, who was marrying his son Abubakr, scolded the nephew and kicked out the guests.  

During questioning, Abdulhannon Mannonov reportedly said that he had urged his nephew to hold his wedding without songs and dances, according to the rules of the Islamic wedding, but he had not listened, which had made mullah angry.  

While moderate Muslims generally don't object to music and dancing per se, a large portion of the faithful view sexually suggestive movement, racy lyrics, and unmarried couples dancing together as haram, because they may lead to un-Islamic behavior.