European Parliament adopted a resolution on the situation in Tajikistan

Members of the European Parliament adopted a resolution by a majority vote regarding the human rights situation in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan.

Photo: Internet

On July 7, the European Parliament adopted the Resolution on the Situation in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan, calling on the Tajik government to respect and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of association in GBAO and throughout the country.

The European Parliament strongly condemned the brutal suppression of protesters, pressure on journalists, bloggers, lawyers, and activists, and expressed serious concern over the deterioration of the human rights situation in GBAO.

The European Parliament also urged Tajik authorities to refrain from excessive use of force against protesters and targeted persecution of GBAO residents. In particular, the authors of the resolution called on the Tajik authorities to immediately release arbitrarily detained journalists, bloggers, activists, human rights defenders, and protesters.

Members of the European Parliament also called for the immediate restoration of access to the Internet and information in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and to refrain from cutting off communication means in the future.

It was reported that during the vote, 520 members of the European Parliament voted in favor, 24 voted against, and another 31 were absent.

Earlier, on June 9, 2016, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the situation of political prisoners in Tajikistan and calling for the immediate release of the chairman of the “New Tajikistan” party, Zayd Said, imprisoned leaders of the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan, and imprisoned human rights defenders Buzurgmehr Yorov and Nuriddin Makhamov, but the Tajik government ignored all demands and did not comply with the European Parliament’s resolution.