Amnesty International: Tajikistan Annual Report 2024 (Tajik edition)

Amnesty International (Tajik edition), dated 30 April 2025, publishes its annual report on Tajikistan covering 2024. The report states that persecution of any critical opinion continued. Civil society activists, government critics and independent journalists, including those in exile, faced intimidation and politically motivated criminal cases. The rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly were severely restricted. Discrimination against women and the Pamiri minority continued; domestic violence remained widespread; torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment were observed on a broad scale. Food shortages affected most children. Corporal punishment of children was explicitly banned. Air pollution from traffic, coal burning and construction caused serious concerns. The report notes economic difficulties worsened by Russian measures to reduce Tajik labour migrants. New detentions and closed-door trials were recorded, mostly linked to politically motivated charges such as terrorism and extremism, against members of the banned opposition Group 24. Bilol Kurbonaliev (Билол Қурбоналиев), deported from Germany in 2023, was sentenced in February to 10 years. Sulaimon Jobirov (Сулаймон Ҷобиров) was forcibly returned from Russia in April and sentenced to six years by August. In June and July, several senior politicians and former officials were detained on alleged “forcible seizure of power” charges, including former Democratic Party leader Saidjafar Usmonzoda (Саиджафар Усмонзода), former Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi (Хамрохон Зарифӣ), former Supreme Council chair Akbarsho Iskandarov (Акбаршо Искандаров), journalist-politician Ahmadshoh Komilzoda (Аҳмадшоҳ Комилзода), and politician Shokirjon Hakimov (Шокирҷон Ҳакимов). By year-end, no proof of the alleged conspiracy had been presented. In January, Shahboz Sharifbek was sentenced to five years for an online complaint. In August, Ahmad Ibrohim, chief editor of “Payk,” was detained on alleged bribery. Pamiri journalist Anora Sarkorova’s mother was summoned by authorities in February. At least 222 Pamiris were convicted in closed, unfair trials related to the 2021 protests. UN special-procedures bodies called for the release of detained Pamiri rights defenders Faromuz Irgashev (Фаромуз Иргашев), Manuchehr Kholiknazarov (Мануҷеҳр Холиқназаров) and Khursand Mamadshoev (Хурсанд Мамадшоев). The list of banned professions for women was cut from 334 to 194. Dokir Obidov (Дамир Обидов) reportedly died in custody in August; family were barred from examining his body. Sources: Amnesty International documentation; UN Special Rapporteurs; CEDAW; UNICEF; IQAir; CPJ; Partnership for Human Rights.