Tajikistan: state repression against the independent media
TA-9-2024-0039 · P9_TA(2024)0039 · PE756.749
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Parliament's resolution condemns Tajikistan's crackdown on independent media, critics, human rights activists and lawyers, and the closure of independent outlets.¶ It condemns politically motivated trials and urges authorities to release arbitrarily detained journalists and drop charges, and to release lawyers Manuchehr Kholiknazarov and Buzurgmehr Yorov.¶ It urges the government to ensure detainees have healthcare, investigate mistreatment and forced confessions, and ensure a safe working environment for media workers and human rights defenders.¶¶ It insists freedom of expression in Tajikistan be considered in the GSP+ application and the new EU-Tajikistan EPCA negotiations. It calls on the Commission, EEAS and member states to increase support for civil society, human rights defenders and independent media workers, including funding and visas.¶ It calls on international institutions to continue monitoring the human rights situation in Tajikistan.¶
Key points
- Strongly condemns the ongoing crackdown, including anti-extremism legislation, against independent media, government critics, human rights activists and independent lawyers.¶
- Condemns the closure of independent media and websites, including Pamir Daily News, New Tajikistan 2 and Akhbor.com.
- Condemns all politically motivated trials and the lack of fair and public hearings by independent courts.¶
- Urges authorities to stop persecuting journalists, immediately and unconditionally release those arbitrarily detained and drop all charges against them.
- Urges authorities to stop the persecution of lawyers defending government critics and release human rights lawyers Manuchehr Kholiknazarov and Buzurgmehr Yorov.
- Urges the government to ensure detainees have access to adequate healthcare.¶
- Calls for a thorough investigation into allegations of mistreatment in custody and forced confessions, and those responsible to be brought to justice.
- Calls on the government to ensure a safe working environment for media workers and human rights defenders in accordance with Tajikistan's international human rights obligations.¶
- Reiterates that the free and independent work of the media and civil society organisations is a cornerstone of any democratic society.
- Insists that the situation of freedom of expression in Tajikistan should be taken into account when assessing the application to GSP+ and for negotiation of the new EU-Tajikistan EPCA.
- Calls on the Commission, the EEAS and the Member States to increase support for civil society, human rights defenders and independent media workers in Tajikistan, including funding and visas for those in need of protection.¶
- Calls on international institutions to continue to monitor the human rights situation in Tajikistan.¶
Who is affected
- Tajikistan's government and authorities, which are urged to stop persecuting journalists and lawyers and to release detainees.¶¶¶
- Independent media, journalists, human rights activists and lawyers in Tajikistan, who face harassment, charges and closure.¶
- The Commission, the EEAS and EU member states, which are asked to increase support and provide funding and visas.¶
- International institutions, which are asked to continue monitoring the human rights situation in Tajikistan.¶
Figures and deadlines
- between seven and over 20 years in prison, the sentences given to numerous journalists since October 2022¶
- July 2023, when UN experts deplored the use of the 'Law on Countering Extremism' and the 'Law on Combating Terrorism' to persecute journalists
- 1991, the year of Tajikistan's independence, since when its media are in their worst state¶