“The ongoing persecution and human rights violations against the Pamiri minority in Tajikistan reached an alarming scale years ago. But there is almost no one to ring the alarm bell. The Tajikistani authorities stifle virtually all information from the region, while the international community has largely overlooked this serious human rights crisis. It demands immediate attention and action from the international community to safeguard the rights and dignity of the Pamiri people,” said Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. 

The ongoing persecution and human rights violations against the Pamiri minority in Tajikistan reached an alarming scale years ago. But there is almost no one to ring the alarm bell

Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Tajikistan: Reprisals against Pamiri minority, suppression of local identity, clampdown on all dissent highlights the violations of economic, social and cultural rights resulting from: the crackdown on Pamiri languages, cultural practices, and identities; the heavy presence of security forces from other regions of Tajikistan; violent repression of protest and widespread arbitrary detention; and socioeconomic marginalization faced by the Pamiri Ismaili community in Gorno-Badakhshan. 

Discrimination and securitization 

The central authorities have promoted a culture of prejudice against Pamiris. A state-sponsored narrative depicts them negatively, particularly Ismailis, leading to widespread discrimination. This policy manifests in repressive practices, including suppressing the use of Pamiri languages in media, education, and public life, excluding Pamiris from influential positions within the state administration and security apparatus, and extortion and destruction of local employment opportunities and Pamiri businesses. 

The heavy presence of security forces from other parts of Tajikistan reflects the authorities’ contempt for the Gorno-Badakhshan population. “The word ‘Pamiri’ [for the security forces] means […] separatist, oppositionist, main enemy,” said one of the interviewees. 

The presence of security agencies, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), has significantly increased in GBAO. Security forces have set up armed cordons on roads and in city squares, including the capital city of GBAO, Khorugh, patrolled by heavily armed police and military. “The security forces in Khorugh behave like wolves looking after sheep. ‘You should not walk like this; you should not laugh!’” said one of the interviewees. 

Security operations in GBAO include surveillance, intimidation, and the excessive use of force — often justified as combating terrorism and organized crime — accompanied by arbitrary arrests and prosecutions of local informal leaders and ordinary Pamiris, despite a lack of credible evidence.  

“The heavy-handed securitization in Gorno-Badakhshan is beyond any scrutiny. The local population is perceived as hostile by the central government, and people are harassed and discriminated against on a daily basis,” said Marie Struthers. 

The heavy-handed securitization in Gorno-Badakhshan is beyond any scrutiny. The local population is perceived as hostile by the central government, and people are harassed and discriminated against on a daily basis

Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

2021-2022 crackdown and its aftermath 

Mounting tensions erupted after the killing of prominent Pamiri figure Gulbiddin Ziyobekov in November 2021. Officially described as the result of a shootout with law enforcement, evidence points to an unlawful killing of an unarmed man, which may amount to an extrajudicial execution. In response to a four-day protest in Khorugh, security forces used firearms against a crowd that had been peaceful until that point, killing two protesters and allegedly injuring around a dozen.  

“We escorted the women away […] to a safer location. At that time, a bullet hit me. They were shooting from the entrance of the building, wearing uniforms. Some of them were standing directly in the entrance, some of them were on the second or third floor,” said one protester, describing the indiscriminate use of lethal force by law enforcement officials. 

After false promises to effectively investigate, the authorities instead persecuted informal community leaders, harassed civil society, and intimidated and prosecuted ordinary Pamiris.  

A second outbreak of violence occurred in May 2022 when authorities violently dispersed peaceful protests in Khorugh and Rushan, resulting in the deaths of dozens of Pamiris, including informal leader Mamadbokir Mamadbokirov, shot by unidentified gunmen in a pickup — a likely extrajudicial execution. According to independent reports, 24 civilians died, some during the crackdown and some in alleged retaliatory unlawful killings.  

A subsequent crackdown on civil society followed with the arbitrary detention of more than 200 human rights defenders, dissenters, and influential figures such as journalist and activist Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva and lawyers Faromuz Irgashev and Manuchehr Kholiknazarov. In December 2023, they received 21, 29 and 15-year sentences respectively, in secret trials, with the details of the charges made public only six months later.  

Arbitrary detentions and torture 

The Tajikistani authorities routinely arbitrarily detain, allegedly torture, and engage in other ill-treatment of Pamiris, with reports of coerced confessions and fabricated charges of crimes against “public safety,” “fundamentals of the constitutional order” or “order of administration.” Legal proceedings lack transparency and due process, with many trials lasting only a few days. During the 2021-2022 crackdown, reports of torture and other ill-treatment were common.  

One of the detainees in the aftermath of the May 2022 protests said he was deprived of sleep for two days, beaten with fists and batons and hit on the head with a thick book. 

“When they asked and I did not answer, they wrapped wet tissues around my fingers, then [fixed it with] tape. They put clips and switched something on. The [electric] current was strong. They did it with different fingers. They did it twice every day, four times in all,” he said. 

The international community must urgently raise concerns about the human rights violations faced by Pamiris with the Tajikistani authorities

Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

“After the 2021-2022 protests in Gorno-Badakhshan, the systemic discrimination against the Pamiri community has become ever more entrenched, resulting in fear, harassment and violation of human rights. The international community must urgently raise concerns about the human rights violations faced by Pamiris with the Tajikistani authorities, in all possible fora not the least international fora, stand in solidarity with the Pamiri people, give protection to those who seek it abroad, and take decisive action to oppose this vicious system in Tajikistan,” said Marie Struthers. 

Source

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Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, said that the dissolution of human rights NGOs signals a deteriorating environment for civil society and human rights defence in Tajikistan. She reiterated that Tajikistan must reconsider its attitudes towards civil society and view human rights defenders as allies instead of enemies.

Earlier in November 2023, Tajikistan Minister of Justice announced that 700 NGOs in the country had been liquidated over an 18-month period.

UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor said, “Human rights defenders in Tajikistan working on so-called ‘sensitive’ issues have been reportedly subjected to threats and intimidation.”

“Human rights defenders working on so-called sensitive issues, including freedom from torture, the right to housing and compensation for requisitioned land, minority rights, freedom of belief and good governance, political rights, and particularly the right to free and fair elections have been reportedly subjected to threats and intimidation,” the Special Rapporteur said.

“Some of those NGOs had been in operation for over 20 years,” the UN expert continued. “This decision also affects those working on early intervention on disability issues, expanding access to education, supporting victims of domestic violence, protecting the environment and promoting public access to land.”

Some organisations were forced to close following unrest in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) in 2022. Official statistics show that after these events, the courts ordered many public organisations to shut down while several other organisations self-dissolved. It is reported that in GBAO, of 300 registered organisations in early 2022, only around 10% can continue operating.

Several NGOs decided to self-dissolve after their directors were repeatedly summoned to the Department of Justice or local executive authorities. They were then reportedly placed under pressure or coerced into shutting down their organisations ‘voluntarily.’

“Interfering with the activities of NGOs and forcing civil society organisations to cease activities will have a serious knock-on impact on a whole range of human rights in Tajikistan,” Lawlor said. “I call on the government to reverse these closures.”

Source

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Berlin (24/11 – 50)

The Supreme Court of the Republic of Tajikistan sentenced five Pamiri leaders from the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) to life imprisonment. They are Tolib Ayombekov, Nazhmiddin Sherchonov, Imumnazar Shoishirinov, Munavvar Shanbiev and Niyozsho Gulobov.

The press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan announced their detention in June of this year, presenting everyone as “leaders of an organized criminal group in the city of Khorog” – the administrative center of GBAO.

Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan announced the detention of five Pamiris in June of this year, presenting them as “leaders of an organized criminal group in the city of Khorog”. Among those convicted are Tolib Ayombekov, Nazhmiddin Sherchonov, Imumnazar Shoishirinov, Munavvar Shanbiev and Niyozsho Gulobov.

According to information from the law enforcement agency, Shanbiev and Ayombekov were among those with whom the country’s authorities signed separate agreements in October 2018, obliging them to surrender their weapons, not organize “gatherings” and not engage in illegal activities. According to media reports, all five convicts are informal leaders of GBAO.

It is reported that by the same court decision several more residents of GBAO were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment. Ayombekov’s former driver Khamza Murodov and the latter’s siblings, Okil and Anoyatsho Ayombekov, were sentenced to 30 years in prison. Ayombekov’s nephew named Mamadomon received 10 years in prison.

Okil Ayombekov and Khamza Murodov were found guilty in 2013 of the murder of special services general Abdullo Nazarov and sentenced to 17 and 16 years in a maximum security colony, respectively. Currently, both have been in prison for 11 years. And now their prison terms have been increased.

The confrontation between the residents of GBAO, who are Pamiris, and the official authorities of Tajikistan has been ongoing since 2012. In 2018, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon authorized the use of the regular army to suppress protests in the autonomy. Since then, acts of civil disobedience have periodically occurred in Gorno-Badakhshan, which the security forces have harshly suppressed.

The latest clash between GBAO residents and security forces occurred after rallies in Khorog on May 14 and 16. On May 18, in the Rushan district of the region, where, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, about 200 people blocked the Dushanbe-Khorog highway to prevent the arrival of a large convoy of security forces to the administrative center of Gorno-Badakhshan. After this, the anti-terrorist operation began. As a result, according to various sources, more than 40 local residents died. Dozens of people were detained, many of them were convicted.

Source

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Tajikistan Supreme Court has sentenced a widely respected 65-year-old female journalist, Ulfathonim Mamadshoeva, to 21 years in prison on charges of incitement to overthrowing the government. Mamadshoeva was accused by the authorities of being a leading figure behind the political turbulence that rocked her native Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) earlier this year. State propaganda has previously alleged that the veteran reporter and activist hatched the purported plot, for which no credible evidence has been produced, at the behest of an unnamed foreign government. 

Mamadshoeva’s brother, Khursand, was last week sentenced to 18 years in prison on related charges. Her ex-husband, Kholbash Kholbashev, a former senior official in the border service, has been given a life sentence. All the trial proceedings were held behind closed doors. The only details to have filtered out have come from relatives of the defendants.

65-year-old female journalist, Ulfathonim Mamadshoeva was accused by the authorities of being a leading figure behind the political turbulence that rocked Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) earlier this year. State propaganda has previously alleged that she had hatched the purported plot, for which no credible evidence has been produced.

Mamadshoeva is just one of a countless number of people from Tajikistan’s eastern Pamirs region to have face arbitrary arrest and summary trials over the last year over claims of involvement in pro-autonomy activism. Few of the accused have been given access to legal representation. The campaign of repression is the culmination of a violent government crackdown in the GBAO in May-June that was unleashed in response to protests.

By the account of the General Prosecutor’s Office, at least 29 people were killed during security sweeps. Prosecutors later filed criminal cases against 109 Pamiri leaders and their followers.  Also last week, the Supreme Court sentenced Faromuz Irgashev, a 32-year-old Pamiri lawyer who attempted without success to run in the 2020 presidential election, to 30 years in prison. 

When unrest first broke out in GBAO in February, Irgashev was accused of acting as an intermediary between protestors and the authorities, assisting in defusing the tensions. One result of negotiations was approval for the creation of a 44-person commission involving all sides of the unrest to investigate the root of the tensions.

By May, 10 members of that commission had charges filed against them on the grounds that they had allegedly formed a criminal consortium.

Source: Genocide Watch

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UN Special Rapporteur of Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, has once again called on the authorities of Tajikistan to release imprisoned Tajik journalists and bloggers.

Mary Lawlor posted on her social media account, formerly Twitter, that during a meeting with Tajikistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Jonibek Hikmat, in New York on October 24, she reiterated her call for the Tajik authorities to release the convicted human rights defenders and journalists, including Daler Imomali, Abdullo Gurbati, and Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva.

Last year, in Tajikistan, eight journalists and bloggers were sentenced to various prison terms, ranging from 7 to 21 years. Four of them, Daler Imomali, Abdullo Gurbati, Abdusattor Pirmukhammadzoda, and Zavkibek Saidamini, were found guilty of collaborating with banned organizations. The journalists and their families have denied the allegations. Some of the convicted journalists claimed to have been subjected to torture in detention.

Tajikistan sentenced eight journalists and bloggers to various prison terms, ranging from 7 to 21 years. Four of them, Daler Imomali, Abdullo Gurbati, Abdusattor Pirmukhammadzoda, and Zavkibek Saidamini, were found guilty of collaborating with banned organizations.

Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva was arrested following the events of May 2022 in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) and was sentenced to 21 years in early December 2022. The Tajik authorities accused Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva of organizing mass disturbances in the Rushan district and the city of Khorog in May 2022. Supporters of Mamadshoeva consider the criminal case to be fabricated.

In September of this year, eight UN experts stated that they were awaiting a response from the Tajik authorities to a letter expressing concern about the fate of imprisoned journalists and civil activists. In their 20-page letter, they noted that the rights of detained journalists and activists were grossly violated from the time of their arrest to the trial.

In a letter signed, among others, by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, and the UN Special Rapporteur on torture, Alice Jill Edwards, cases of torture and cruel treatment of detainees were cited. UN experts stated that the arbitrary arrests of some of the convicted individuals contradict the laws of Tajikistan and international law. They criticized the Tajik authorities for imprisoning detained journalists and bloggers on fabricated charges of extremism and collaboration with banned organizations. The actions of the Tajik authorities serve as a stern warning to other human rights defenders: criticism will be met with harsh punishment, as stated in the letter.

The Tajik government has faced criticism in recent years from the UN, Western countries, and international human rights organizations for regular human rights violations in the country.

Source : Radio Liberty

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For ten years now, the authorities of Tajikistan have been engaged in forced assimilation of the ethnic Pamiri people, giving away the heartlands to China for debts,” Orzu M. shared with RFI – Radio France Internationale is a French news and current affairs public radio station that broadcasts worldwide.

RFI met with Orzu in Paris, sharing the fact that more and more Pamiris are leaving their native homes in Gorno-Badakhshan Mountainous Autonomous (GBAO) Region of Tajikistan; they are driven into exile by the persecution of the authorities, who are displacing indigenous peoples.

The Tajik government continues its repression against the Pamir minority group as part of Dushanbe’s efforts to quell the opposition to the ruling government in Tajikistan. The repressive actions included forced extradition, arbitrary arrest and harsh verdict to alleged Pamiri activists.

RFI: How did it come about that you, a defender of the rights of the Pamiri peoples, ended up in Paris?

Orzu M: I am a Pamiri, and for at least the past ten years, the authorities of Tajikistan have been engaged in the forced assimilation of our people. The Pamiri peoples are a national minority. We have our own language, different from Tajik, with several dialects (Pamiri languages belong to the Iranian linguistic group – RFI). Our religion is also different; Pamiris are Ismailis, which is a branch of Shiite Islam, whereas Tajiks, the titular nation, are Sunni. We practice a more secular form of Islam; women and men can be in the same prayer house. We don’t have mosques; we have Jamaats, where men and women gather, and everyone prays together. Pamiri women often do not wear a headscarf and dress in a more European style.

We have our own culture and traditions. Tajikistan is a multi-ethnic country with Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Russians, and many other people living here, but we have our own autonomous region, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). And, of course, we are a mountainous people, which also creates distinct characteristics in our culture and traditions. There are approximately 200,000 Pamiris in total, but a significant portion of them is already in exile.

RFI: Why is there such strong emigration?

Orzu M: Emigration is indeed significant; villages are becoming empty, entire families are leaving, closing their homes, and fleeing to wherever they can, to Europe, to America. This situation has been ongoing for the past 10 years.

Ninety-three percent of our territory is covered by mountains. We are primarily engaged in livestock farming rather than agriculture, but most of the population is affected by unemployment, which is a significant problem. We have neither factories nor plants. The Aga Khan Foundation (Aga Khan Development Network, a network of private non-denominational development agencies founded by the spiritual leader of the Ismailis – RFI) is involved in the development of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast. Aga Khan IV built a university, a hospital, and is involved in cultural and educational programs. In Soviet times, every second person in our region had a higher education. The thing is, we are in a remote high-mountain region, and we have very harsh winter conditions, as well as overall challenging living conditions. The only way to make progress was to study, get an education, and then develop the region.

It turned out that in the last 10 years, we have been leaving Pamir; we are being displaced. The Tajikistan authorities want us to integrate and lose our identity, including our language.

Furthermore, our territories are essentially being handed over to China as a result of Tajikistan’s national debt. For example, the Murghab region, where Pamiri Kyrgyz people live, is rich in natural resources, such as gold, silver, and precious gemstones. It’s a mountainous area, and there are even precious stones. China understands that this is a very rich territory.

RFI: You say that the problems started 10 years ago. What happened at that time?

Orzu M: In 2012, the head of the State Committee for National Security (KNB) in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) was assassinated. He was simply eliminated, and the local people were accused. It was an intra-government dispute related to the criminal business, smuggling, and drug trafficking.

Pamir is a strategic location where the path to China goes, with the border with Afghanistan and the only place that did not submit to the authorities and resisted. The people were free, acted in their own way, and cherished this freedom. In other words, it was autonomy in the true sense. The government felt that they could enrich themselves in the region, and the president’s inner circle chose the events of 2012 as a pretext. That’s when we had a “special operation,” they removed informal leaders who were defending the people.

And this periodically continues to this day, in 2014, in 2018, in 2022. There were several attempts to pacify the people. It didn’t work. There were protests, and even attempts to communicate with the president and the establishment of commissions. In other words, it was such an oasis of democracy in Tajikistan, the only region that truly knew its rights and demanded their respect. And when it so happened that they did manage to suppress us, many people, in order not to submit, leave.      

RFI: How to explain the fact that Tajiks, who themselves are victims of persecution, oppress another minority?

Orzu M: I wouldn’t say that Tajiks oppress the people. Tajiks suffer even more than we do, and they have always suffered. We are the only region that openly and boldly talks about this. Tajiks tend to be more submissive; they are more adaptable. The temperament of the mountain peoples does not allow them to submit. But Tajiks have also always suffered from this regime, and there were events in Rasht, in the Sughd region, in Vahdat.

The authorities have broken the people and subdued them. All the terrible facts – rape, murder – were attributed to the lawlessness of ISIS terrorists. For the Tajik authorities, anyone who opposes them is labeled a terrorist.

RFI: Is Russia’s influence a factor in this?

Orzu M: We, the Pamiris, are a small community, and we all know each other. When the special operation in GBAO began, we realized that the only possibility was to shout, speak, and write. We have always won against the authorities with the information war. But now, the Tajik government has very strong support from Russia.

So-called “special operations,” similar to what Russia conducts in Ukraine, are carried out in our Pamir. It’s all part of the same Soviet playbook that Putin is spreading among authoritarian regimes. Emomali Rahmon, in order to pass power to his son, is creating all the conditions for the destruction of a free society, so that there are no people who can shout, speak, and obstruct his actions.

RFI: How has the war that Russia is conducting in Ukraine affected the situation?

Orzu M: It has made the situation even worse because the regime realized that if Ukraine wins, it will set an example for other nations, and everyone would strive for freedom. As a result, it has tightened its grip. For example, in GBAO, there are hardly any NGOs left; everything is closed.

A significant portion of civil society representatives are in prison. We have around 1,000 political prisoners who had an influence on the youth and held some authority. They were either imprisoned, disappeared without a trace, or emigrated.

RFI: Am I correct in understanding that fleeing to Russia is not possible?

Orzu M: There is no refuge for us in Russia. Many, even those with Russian citizenship, have been extradited to Tajikistan, where they are subjected to torture in prisons.

Russian citizenship is zero; it’s a fiction. There have been cases where people with Russian citizenship had it simply revoked, even though they grew up and lived their whole lives in Russia. The war in Ukraine has frightened our president, and he is afraid that this whole kingdom could disappear. Everything now depends on the outcome of the war, on Ukraine’s victory.

RFI: How does the proximity to Afghanistan affect the situation?

Orzu M: Afghanistan is a trump card for the Tajik authorities in order to promote the issue of terrorism, extremism, the influence of Islamists, and the movement of the Taliban to our borders in Europe. Although, in my opinion, such a threat does not currently exist. Badakhshan was divided by the Russian Empire along the Kokcha River, and now its southern part is in Afghanistan, while the northern part is in Tajikistan. Families were divided, and I still have relatives in Afghanistan. It’s just an opportunity to blackmail and use strong words in Europe, claiming that we are protecting the European Union from Taliban incursions and Islamists.

RFI: But is Islamism a problem in Tajikistan itself?

Orzu M: It’s a problem in Central Asia as a whole. In countries with dictatorial regimes, the youth turn to conservative Islam, Salafism, and mosques engage in propagandistic activities. This was never the case before; there used to be a secular state. Now, the youth don’t see a future and are searching for answers or simply escaping from this reality.

Poverty is rampant, and many become labor migrants, leaving their children with grandparents. Women, daughters-in-law, are oppressed within their husband’s families. This is the standard situation throughout Central Asia. The authorities have abandoned the people to their fate, leading to poverty, unemployment, and making the population vulnerable to the ideas propagated by mosques. Islamic madrasas are established not only in Tajikistan but also in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan has always been secular, but now the sentiments are changing.

RFI: Does Iran influence the situation?

Orzu M: The relationship with Iran is variable. Sometimes they are friendly and exchange visits, and sometimes the love disappears. Russia usually dictates who to be friends with and who not to. But right now, the closest friendship is with China. All road construction and projects are Chinese.

The small republic is deeply indebted to China, and China is already dictating its terms. The Chinese government doesn’t like that Pamir, its closest neighbors, values freedom and that people there are well-educated. They see this as a threat. Every time after meetings between representatives of the Tajik government and China, the pressure on the GBAO intensifies. The way we understand it is that China is an accomplice in this process. This is a union of dictatorships.

RFI: Do you see any way out?

Orzu M: Right now, the only way out is the victory of Ukraine. Then, this entire dictatorial pyramid will collapse.

*Orzu M. prefers not to give its full name, fearing persecution from the authorities.

Source: RFI

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UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Nazila Ghanea called on Tajikistan to adapt and review its laws, policies, and practices regarding religion or belief following her 10-day visit. She stated that the implementation of religious freedom and belief in the country is a cause for concern.

During a press conference at the UN office in Tajikistan, she also urged Tajikistan’s authorities to “leave the past behind and protect freedom of religion and belief.” Ghanea stated, “This will contribute to development, peace, and understanding in the country. The shadow of civil war looms over laws and customs related to religious freedom, which greatly affects them.”

She noted that the boundaries of implementing freedom of religion or belief are far from international human rights standards.

“Respect for freedom of religion and belief should be reflected in public activities and should apply to all, including women, religious minorities, children, and youth. They should be allowed to exercise this freedom,” added Nazila Ghanea.

During the press conference, it was mentioned that freedom of religion or belief is closely related to the need to preserve traditions and customs, religious practices, and education.

“It is inseparable from freedom of expression and allows independent associations and other members of civil society to contribute to the development of an open civil society,” she added.

As part of her visit to Tajikistan, Nazila Ghanea held meetings with officials from the Dushanbe mayor’s office and visited the city of Khorog in the GBAO region.

In her capacity as an ombudsman, she also met with parliament members, prosecutors, Supreme Court officials, representatives of civil society, religious organizations, and international organizations.

She also visited a prison where political and religious prisoners are held. She emphasized that Tajikistan’s authorities do not acknowledge the presence of political or religious prisoners in the country.

“We visited a prison in Vahdat. We examined the conditions of the prisoners. There are 13 mosques where up to 1,500 inmates can pray. Apart from these mosques, they are not allowed to pray in other places,” said Nazila Ghanea.

The UN rapporteur noted that during meetings, Tajik officials cited some reasons for introducing restrictions.

“For example, the ban on young people under the age of 18 visiting mosques was explained by Tajik authorities on the grounds that young people would miss classes due to mosque attendance. They also explained that the law on regulating traditions and customs was introduced to save money. Regarding the ban on women visiting mosques, it was explained as being against the Hanafi school,” Ghanea noted.

According to her, there were also officials who expressed readiness and efforts to address and resolve the issues.

“I call on the authorities to go beyond their concerns about extremism, terrorism, and incitement of hatred and to reconsider the positive contribution of religion and faith to harmonious and prosperous social life. Religion or belief is not a serious risk factor for public life; they can actively contribute to development, peace, and understanding,” she concluded.

UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Nazila Ghanea, began her visit to Tajikistan on April 11. She conducted an assessment of religious freedom and its interaction with the rights to freedom of expression, discussed issues related to gender equality, women’s rights, and children’s rights.

A preliminary assessment of the visit will be presented at the UN Human Rights Council in March 2024.

In July 2022, the Human Rights Council appointed Dr. Nazila Ghanea (Iran) as the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. She began her duties on August 1, 2022.

Ghanea is a professor of international law and has conducted research in the field of human rights, working as a consultant for various agencies in this area.

Special Rapporteurs are part of the so-called special procedures of the Human Rights Council. They examine situations in specific countries or thematic issues around the world. These experts work on an unpaid, pro bono basis and are not UN staff members. They are independent from any government or organization.

Source: Asia-Plus

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Just in September this year, ten “distinguished” people in Tajikistan have been awarded general ranks.

The decree on conferring general ranks was signed by the country’s president, Emomali Rahmon, on September 7^th. According to this decree, there are now three more generals in the Agency for State Financial Control and Anti-Corruption. The rank of Major General of Justice was awarded to the head of the Finance and Economic Department, Fazliddin Khodjazoda, the head of the Special Operations Department, Abdurakhmon Davlatzoda, and the head of the Agency for GBAO, Zoir Gafurzoda.

The rank of Major General of Justice was also conferred on Ikrom Zoirzoda, the military prosecutor and Deputy Attorney General of Tajikistan.

Four colonels have been promoted to the rank of major general in the Ministry of Defense: Hussein Shokirzoda, the commander of the mobile forces of the country’s armed forces; Aminjon Amonullozoda, the military commissioner for cities and districts of republican subordination; Davlatsho Mirzozoda, the military commissioner for the Sughd region; and Abdulmumin Davlatzoda, the first deputy chairman of the Central Committee of the Public Organization for Assistance to Defense (formerly DOSAAF).

In the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the rank of general was conferred upon the head of the department for combating illegal drug trafficking, Bakhtiyor Nazarzoda, and the head of the department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Khatlon region, Fayzullo Nozimzoda.

Annually, on the eve of important state holidays such as Tajikistan’s Independence Day, representatives of the law enforcement and security agencies are awarded the highest officer ranks, including that of major general.

The exact number of generals in Tajikistan is currently unknown. In the past, both domestic and international press portrayed Tajikistan as a country where a significant number of generals emerged in a relatively short period of time.

The authorities of Tajikistan view the conferral of these ranks as “recognition of distinguished service.” However, opposition representatives criticize the government for awarding the title of general not based on specific merits but rather symbolically, as a result of officials’ loyalty to the regime. They claim that, in some cases, some generals have not even undergone mandatory military service.

Source : Radio Liberty

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Berlin (24/10 – 67)

UN Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Nazila Ghanea, visited Tajikistan from April 11 to April 21 to conduct research on issues in this field. The UN expert will assess religious freedom and its interaction with the right to freedom of expression, discuss gender equality, women’s rights, and children’s rights.

She stated that the implementation of religious freedom and belief in the country is a cause for concern. Ghanea, the newly appointed UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, called on Tajikistan to adapt and review its laws, policies, and practices regarding religion or belief following her 10-day visit.

Nazila Ghanea, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, called on Tajikistan to adapt and review its laws, policies, and practices regarding religion or belief. She pointed out that the boundaries of implementing freedom of religion or belief are far from international human rights standards.

During her visit, she met with government officials, representatives of religious or denominational communities, civil society organizations, and the UN. In addition to Dushanbe, she also visited Khorog and Khujand.

The Special Rapporteur’s observations will focus on promoting peaceful coexistence among religious communities and countering extremism and terrorism in Tajikistan.

Following the visit, Ghanea will present her observations at a press conference at the UN representation in Dushanbe on April 21st, with limited access approved only for journalists.

A preliminary assessment of the visit will be presented at the UN Human Rights Council in March 2024. In July 2022, the Human Rights Council appointed Dr. Nazila Ghanea from Iran as the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief. She began her duties on August 1, 2022.

Ghanea is a professor of international law and has conducted research in the field of human rights, serving as a consultant to various agencies in this area.

Special Rapporteurs are part of the so-called special procedures of the Human Rights Council. They examine situations in specific countries or thematic issues worldwide. These experts operate on a mandate based on principles of impartiality and do not work as UN employees, nor do they receive compensation for their work. They are independent of any government or organization.

Tajikistan on the “Blacklist” Tajikistan is included in the U.S. Department of State’s “blacklist,” which lists countries with violations of religious freedoms. Reports state, among other things, that “persistent, continuous, and unacceptable violations of religious rights in the country” cause serious concern for the State Department.

Tajikistan disagrees with the criticism from the U.S. Department of State, with official statements consistently asserting that all religious rights are upheld in the country, and foreign assessments of the state of religious rights are “biased and inaccurate.”

The last time a UN Special Rapporteur on religious matters, Asma Jahangir, visited the country was in 2007. After her visit, she expressed concerns about the situation of religious minorities in Tajikistan and the status of Tajik women’s rights, which are violated due to traditions.

Source : Asia Plus

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UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Fernand de Varennes, reported during his trip to the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region in Tajikistan, he met with representatives of civil society and residents of the region. Varennes arrived in Tajikistan for a working visit on October 9 till October 20.

The UN Special Rapporteur told journalists that the residents of Gorno-Badakhshan informed him about violations of their rights in 2021-2022, particularly concerning the rights of detainees and cases of harsh treatment by law enforcement agencies. He stated, “People are complaining about religious restrictions as well as limitations on the use of Pamiri languages,” during a press conference in Dushanbe on October 19.

UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Fernand de Varennes, reported during his trip to the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region in Tajikistan, he met with representatives of civil society and residents of the region. Residents shared with him the violations of their rights in 2021-2022, particularly concerning the rights of detainees and cases of harsh treatment by law enforcement agencies.

According to Varennes, representatives of ethnic minorities in Tajikistan have complained that they do not have their own deputies in the Tajik parliament. However, he did not disclose the details of his meetings.

Meanwhile, the UN website reported on October 19 that Fernand de Varennes, in his statement following an 11-day visit to Tajikistan, expressed particular concern about the fate of ethnic minorities, including the Jughi, religious minorities, and the Pamiri community in GBAO “on several fronts, including their representation in the national parliament, access to education in their native language, and freedom of religion “.

The UN Special Rapporteur strongly recommended that the Tajikistan authorities continue their efforts to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and urged a review of the legislation to include the Jughi minority in the National Action Plan. “Regarding the events that took place in GBAO since November 2021, the Special Rapporteur called on the authorities to conduct an impartial and transparent investigation in accordance with international standards and measures to prevent tension and violence escalation in the region,” as stated in the UN announcement. Fernand de Varennes emphasized that the Tajik authorities’ response to the complaints of the Pamiri people is an essential part of this de-escalation.

Varennes announced during a press conference in Dushanbe that the report following his working visit to Tajikistan will be published in March 2024. The final report will first be presented to the Tajikistan government and then to the UN Human Rights Council.

Earlier in April, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Nazila Ghanea, visited Tajikistan. During a press conference at the end of her visit, she expressed concerns about the situation regarding freedom of conscience and religion and noted that the scope of the freedom of religion or belief in the country is alarmingly distant from international human rights standards. Nazila Ghanea stated that Tajikistan should leave behind its past, which was marked by civil war, and protect freedom of religion and belief.

The authorities of Tajikistan regularly face criticism from international human rights organizations and Western countries for human rights violations, including the rights of minorities and restrictions on religious freedom.

Source : Azatlyk Radiosy

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