IPHR: Права для всех ЛГБТИК в Таджикистане

The article reports that International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR / Международное партнёрство по правам человека — МППЧ) published a report dated February 2024 titled “Rights for all? LGBTIQ in Tajikistan are systematically deprived of human rights”. The article reports that in 2022 and 2023 police conducted a series of raids against LGBTIQ people in several Tajik cities. The article reports that although consensual same-sex relations between adult men were decriminalised in May 1998 when the first Criminal Code of independent Tajikistan came into force, authorities have not addressed ongoing discrimination against LGBTIQ people. The article reports that “sex”, “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” were removed from the draft anti-discrimination law (On Equality and Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination) before it was signed by President Emomali Rahmon (Эмомали Рахмон) on 19 July 2022. The article reports that on 5 June 2014 Minister of Internal Affairs Ramazon Rahimzoda (Рамазон Рахимзода) ordered special raids, and on 18 July 2014 the MVD stated its fight against “immoral crimes” included “homosexuality and lesbianism”. The article reports that in 2016 authorities created a working group and by 2017 Minister Rahimzoda stated that data of 319 alleged gay men and 48 lesbians had been entered into a register; at a press conference on 15 February 2024 Rahimzoda reportedly stated no such register had ever existed. The article reports an October 2018 quote by Khurshed Kunghurotov (Хуршед Кунгуротов), chief psychiatrist of the Ministry of Health, saying homosexuality is a deviation and can be “cured with a guarantee”, and a January 2019 statement by then ombudsman Zarif Alizoda (Зариф Ализода). The article reports IPHR documented dozens of cases of intimidation, physical or sexual violence, arbitrary detention and extortion by police in research trips in 2016/17 and November 2023. The article reports that during 2022–2023 raids police subjected many LGBTIQ people to forced HIV testing and charged those testing positive under Article 125(1) of the Criminal Code on exposing another person to HIV, and that others were released after paying bribes. The article reports that on 26 December 2023 the Plenum of the Supreme Court adopted guidance for judges on Article 125 cases. The article reports named cases (pseudonymised): Manizha, Bonu, Fotima. The article cites UNAIDS data, statements by President Rahmon of 26 January 2024 on 1,100 new HIV cases in 2023, Radio Ozodi, Asia-Plus, Current Time, USAIDS, CEDAW periodic report, and Colette Harris’s book Control and Subversion. Gender Relations in Tajikistan (London 2004) among its sources.