Member of the European Parliament called for not oppressing the Pamiri people

Viola von Cramon also urged the Tajik government to restore internet access in GBAO and investigate the murders.

Photo: Internet

Member of the European Parliament Viola von Cramon expressed concern about the possibility of a new conflict erupting in GBAO.

“We have largely overlooked the long-standing conflict in GBAO, Tajikistan, and it is ready to flare up anew. To prevent this, the Tajik government must stop oppressing the Pamiri people, restore internet access, investigate the murders, etc.,” Viola von Cramon wrote on her Twitter.

Earlier, Viola von Cramon informed the influential British magazine The Guardian that the EU is considering a request for information regarding the November events in GBAO. “Autocratic rule in Tajikistan and the lack of legality are escalating interethnic tensions. The use of excessive force and the shooting of protesters, even if they were throwing stones, is unacceptable and contributes to the escalation of violence. These events must be urgently investigated, and all those who have exceeded their authority must be held accountable,” the MEP stated.

The situation in the city of Khorog, the administrative center of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, remains tense following the protests from November 25-28, 2021. The region has been without internet for more than two months. Authorities label informal leaders in the area as organized crime group leaders and demand that they surrender to law enforcement, while they claim they are innocent. Tajik law enforcement agencies are constantly intimidating residents of the region with special operations. For this reason, local youth have organized night patrols to protect their informal leaders and the city from sudden interventions by security forces.