Tajikistan has imposed a ban on distributing the popular video games Counter-Strike and Grand Theft Auto (GTA), labeling them as violent and immoral.

According to a statement by the country’s interior ministry, police in Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe, “will conduct raids and inspections in computer gaming centers” suspected of selling these games.

“Young people and teenagers who regularly play these games come under their negative influence and commit various crimes," the ministry said, adding that parents should keep an eye on their children and prevent them from playing games “that promote killing, theft, and violence.”

Counter-Strike is a multiplayer first-person shooter where players join either a terrorist or counter-terrorist team to complete objectives like defusing bombs, rescuing hostages or eliminating the opposing team. In GTA, players explore cities and complete missions, often engaging in criminal activities as part of the storyline.

Video games have been targeted with restrictions in different countries for various reasons, including concerns about violence, explicit content or political and cultural sensitivities.

Earlier in August, Turkey blocked access to the video game platform Roblox over concerns about content “that could lead to the exploitation of children.” According to previous reports, predators, pedophiles, and even registered sex offenders used Roblox to “groom and befriend children.” Some young Roblox developers have also claimed financial exploitation on the platform.

Russia has previously considered banning games that promote “anti-Russian values” or portray Russian characters as “bad guys.”

In China, many Western games are subject to censorship, discouraging some gaming companies from doing business there. In 2021, for example, gaming giant Epic Games decided to halt production of its Chinese localization of the popular Fortnite game, citing the challenges of adapting to censorship demands.