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MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION (2024/2506(RSP))

On Tajikistan: state repression against the independent media

B-9-2024-0081

on behalf of the S&D Group · Rapporteur: Pedro Marques, Karsten Lucke

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 26 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament's resolution on Tajikistan condemns state repression against independent media and civil society, and calls for the release of detained journalists and human rights defenders. It asks the Commission to weigh ongoing human rights violations when considering GSP+ negotiations, and to press Tajikistan to release unjustly imprisoned journalists and defenders before that process advances. It calls on the Commission, the European External Action Service and member states to increase support for civil society, independent NGOs, human rights defenders and independent media in Tajikistan, including funding and emergency visas.

Key points

  1. Requests Tajikistan authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all journalists and human rights defenders unduly detained for their human rights work, and drop all charges against them.
  2. Urges Tajik authorities to respect and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to life, peaceful assembly, freedom of association, freedom of expression and freedom of the media, in line with international law.
  3. Condemns all attempts to intimidate media workers, human rights defenders, independent lawyers and civil society, and calls for an end to harassment so they can work without hindrance or fear of reprisals.
  4. Calls on the Commission to take ongoing violations of freedom of expression and other human rights into account when considering opening GSP+ negotiations, and to stress that unjustly imprisoned journalists and human rights defenders must be released before the process can move forward.
  5. Reiterates that free and independent work of civil society organisations and the media is a cornerstone of any democratic society.
  6. Calls on the Commission, the European External Action Service and member states to increase support for civil society, independent NGOs, human rights defenders and independent media in Tajikistan, including funding and emergency visas for those needing protection.

Who is affected

  • Tajikistan authorities: asked to release detained journalists and human rights defenders, drop charges, and respect fundamental freedoms.
  • Journalists, human rights defenders, independent lawyers and civil society in Tajikistan: condemned intimidation and harassment against them.
  • European Commission: asked to consider human rights violations in GSP+ negotiations and to increase support for civil society and media.
  • European External Action Service and member states: called to increase support for civil society, NGOs, human rights defenders and independent media in Tajikistan.

Figures and deadlines

  • 14 December 2023: date of the 14th round of the annual EU Human Rights Dialogue with Tajikistan in Dushanbe.
  • 2020: year of the "Law on Countering Extremism" cited as problematic anti-extremism legislation.
  • 2021: year of the "Law on Combating Terrorism" cited as problematic anti-extremism legislation.
  • May 2022: date of protests in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region for which civil society faces reprisals.
  • 2015: year since which freedom of the media and expression have been continually suppressed.