Press releases
The European Union and the Republic of Tajikistan yesterday held their ninth Human Rights Dialogue in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
Dushanbe, 13 October 2017 – The European Union and the Republic of Tajikistan yesterday held their ninth Human Rights Dialogue in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
The Dialogue was an opportunity to discuss human rights matters in an open and honest manner.
The space for the work of civil society organisations in Tajikistan has become more restricted, for instance with regard to administrative inspections. The Tajik government should better involve NGOs in the legislative process relating to the new draft law on non-commercial organisations and the draft civil code.
All participants concurred that there has been good progress in the area of women’s rights, such as the prevention of domestic violence. The European Union also expressed its appreciation for the active work of Mr Alizoda, the Tajik Ombudsman for Human Rights, across a wide range of issues.
Significant efforts have been made by the Tajik government to prevent torture and ill treatment. However, shortcomings remain, and the European Union raised specific torture cases including in the Tajik military, pre-trial detention, and semi-closed and closed institutions. The Tajik government must review the case of imprisoned defense lawyer Mr Buzurgmehr Yorov and arrange for a visit of the monitoring group under the Ombudsman. The European Union expects the Tajik authorities to ensure that no pressure is exerted on family members of the political opposition, including those living abroad.
Both sides agreed that significant progress had been achieved in addressing statelessness in Tajikistan.
The European Union drew attention to the critical findings of the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression following his visit to Tajikistan in March 2016, and urged the Tajik government to take concrete measures to lift restrictions on the media and independent journalists. The European Union similarly raised questions concerning the freedom of religion and belief.
Finally, the European Union welcomed the renewal of the OSCE’s mandate in Tajikistan, and stressed the importance of the OSCE’s work in all three dimensions – politico-military, economic and environmental, and human dimensions – in all regions of the country.
The European Union was represented at the Dialogue by Toivo Klaar, Head of Central Asia Division, European External Action Service, and the government of Tajikistan by Abdujabbor Sattorzoda, Head of Human Rights Guarantees Department of the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.
The European Union, composed of 28 Member States, is the world’s biggest aid donor. Tajikistan is getting the main share of EU’s bilateral assistance to Central Asia: €251 million for 2014-2020. During this period the EU will focus its development cooperation with Tajikistan on the sectors of education, health and rural development. Tajikistan also receives regional and thematic assistance in areas like border management and drug control (BOMCA/CADAP), education (CAREN & Erasmus+), democracy and human rights (EIDHR), non-State actors (NSA), energy (IFCA & INOGATE), transport (TRACECA), SME development (IFCA & CA-Invest), peace and stability (IcSP) and water/environment and nuclear safety (IFCA, EURECA & INSC). The EU has been active in Tajikistan since 1992 and provides approximately EUR 35 million annually in development assistance.
