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On October 11, presidential elections will be taking place in Tajikistan, a highly authoritarian state where all freedoms have been curbed. This thread highlights some of the key human rights concerns in light of the elections https://bit.ly/36CKnZr
5 candidates, incl authoritarian incumbent Emomali Rahmon who has been in power for 28 years, will be competing for the seat this Sunday. http://Cabar.asia reported that “none of the President’s registered opponents has ever publicly criticized him” https://bit.ly/36CKnZr
. @RadioiOzodi said that not a single election in Tajikistan was recognized as democratic, transparent and in line with international standards according to international monitors https://bit.ly/33B2NHU
In the past years, Tajikistan’s dire human rights record has not seen any improvements. The next president and the government should demonstrate commitment to address and redress the most egregious human rights violations in the country, including in particular:
1) Ending the widespread practice of arbitrary detention of critics on politically motivated grounds, and the release of more than 150 critics, lawyers, and others detained on such grounds since mid-2015 https://bit.ly/3iEAk8n
2) Effectively and impartially investigating allegations of torture and cases of deaths in detention, as part of addressing the problem of widespread torture and the abysmal prison conditions in the country https://bit.ly/30YuBob
3) Ending the practice of harassment of exiled activists or their families in Tajikistan, including by ending politically motivated extradition requests made via INTERPOL to forcibly return political opponents from abroad https://bit.ly/3jErZ5P
4) Respecting freedom of information, including on the internet, and tolerate all forms of legitimate speech, including criticism of the government and its policies https://bit.ly/2GBJDsG , https://bit.ly/3nqrkYd
5) Explicitly criminalizing domestic violence; ensuring that police, prosecutors, and judges provide adequate protections to survivors; and expanding legal aid and domestic violence shelters https://bit.ly/33BMN8v
. @HRW will keep working on these issues alongside the brave work of human rights groups and civil society in Tajikistan, to try to improve respect for the rights of ordinary Tajiks
