The report, in particle, says the government’s premature claims that COVID-19 transmission had ended, and tight control over information released, undermined measures to protect public health during the pandemic. Survivors of domestic violence reportedly continued to face challenges in accessing justice. Torture and other ill-treatment remained widespread but under-reported, according to the report. The report notes that the government unduly restricted freedom of expression, sentencing opposition activists and government critics to lengthy prison terms on politically motivated charges.
Right to health
The authorities tightly controlled the narrative around the COVID-19 pandemic, underplaying its real impact, which resulted in late and less effective measures to limit its spread and protect public health. The report says the president on January 26 told parliament that there were no more COVID-19 cases in Tajikistan. Media reports alleged pressure on medical workers not to diagnose the virus, and at least one doctor was reportedly fired after returning a positive test, according to the report. On June 21, the prime minister’s office announced that some cases had been detected and blamed the public’s failure to comply with protection measures.
Compulsory vaccination of all adults was introduced, but no information was given as to how it would be enforced. Over 4 million vaccine doses had been administered by the end of 2021.
Violence against women and girls
The report says survivors of domestic violence continued to face many challenges in accessing support, protection and justice. The 2013 law on domestic violence provides for survivors to report abuse to law enforcement officers but does not compel the relevant agencies to take appropriate steps to investigate complaints, issue protection orders and open a criminal case. A new draft of the Criminal Code, containing an article specifically criminalizing domestic violence, was discussed in parliament. It fails, however, to cover all types of violence notably psychological violence, marital rape and sexual assault, according to the report.
Torture and other ill-treatment
In February, an Action Plan introduced as part of a new strategy to reform the criminal justice system came into force. It provides for independent monitoring of detention facilities, as well as improved complaint mechanisms for people in penitentiary institutions and the development of independent investigation mechanisms for deaths in custody.
However, only a small number of torture and other ill-treatment cases continued to be reported to the authorities. In March last year the legal assistance group of the NGO Coalition against Torture reported that it had documented at least 38 cases of torture and other ill-treatment in the course of 2020, noting that this represented a fraction of the actual number of cases.
In June, three police officers were sentenced to between 10 and 13 years’ imprisonment for the torture of Hasan Yodgorov in 2017. He “confessed” to a murder after being tortured with beatings and electric shocks for several days by police in Tursunzoda, western Tajikistan. He spent six months in pre-trial detention before the charges were dropped and he was released in May 2018, when another suspect was arrested. Hasan Yodgorov reported the torture the day after his release. Two of the police officers fell under amnesties and their sentences were shortened as a result.
Freedom of expression
The report notes that the authorities continued to suppress opposition activists and government critics by sentencing them to lengthy prison terms on politically motivated charges, often requesting their extradition from countries of exile and harassing their relatives in Tajikistan and abroad.
On January 13, 2021, Sadi Rahmatov, the brother-in-law of Sharofiddin Gadoyev, the deputy leader of the banned opposition movement Group 24, was released from prison in Greece after spending two months in detention because the Tajikistani authorities had placed him on an Interpol wanted list. Sadi Rahmatov had been charged in Tajikistan with “facilitating mercenaries”, a crime which carries a 15-year sentence.
On March 25, 2021, independent lawyer and Chairman of the Tajik Center in Moscow, Izzat Amon went missing. Two days later the Tajiki Interior Ministry announced that he was in detention in Dushanbe, having been extradited from Russia. Izzat Amon had repeatedly criticized the Tajikistani government for failing to protect the rights of Tajikistani migrants in Russia. In October the Dushanbe City Court sentenced him to prison for nine years for fraud.
On June 1, 2021, Mirzo Hojimuhammad, a former member of the banned Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), was sentenced to five years in prison for “membership in a banned extremist organization.” He had been working as a doctor in Russia for the past two years and returned to Tajikistan in February for a visit. He was first placed under travel restrictions and then arrested in May. His conviction was reportedly based on unspecified posts on social media. In 2020 he had delivered a media interview criticizing the authorities’ late recognition of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On January29, 2021, independent journalist Daler Sharipov was released on the expiry of his sentence. In April 2020, he had been found guilty of “inciting religious discord” and sentenced to one year’s imprisonment.
On October 13, 2021, Buzurgmehr Yorov’s sentence was reduced by four years under an amnesty declared to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the country’s independence. Buzurgmehr Yorov, a lawyer, was sentenced to 28 years’ imprisonment for having represented several members of the banned IRPT.
Source: Asia-Plus