Opposition activists held a protest in Europe

On October 12, representatives of the Tajik opposition held a protest in front of the European Union representation in Lithuania.

Photo: Internet

According to the organizers, the purpose of the action is to demand the release of political prisoners, express protest against the visit of Emomali Rahmon to Europe, and his reception at the EU headquarters in Brussels.

Among the speakers at the event were Ilkhomjon Yakubov, chairman of the Central Asian Migrants Association in Europe, Shohnaim Karim, deputy chairman of the PIVT, political activist Sulaymon Davlatov, PIVT representative in Lithuania Abdushukur Manonov (son of a political prisoner killed in one of Tajikistan’s prisons), PIVT spokesperson Bobodjon Kayumov, and others.

The participants of the action appealed to the EU leadership, particularly to the members of the European Parliament and the President of the European Council Charles Michel, asking them not to receive President Emomali Rahmon at a high level, who has usurped power in Tajikistan and imprisoned free thinkers, politicians, and intellectuals for many years.

At the same time, the participants called on EU officials to pressure Rahmon to comply with Tajikistan’s international human rights obligations and to release political prisoners, including elderly citizens, for whom a decision on their release was made by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of the UN Human Rights Committee.

Photo: Internet

At the end of the action, the organizers met in Vilnius with a high-ranking representative of the European Union and handed her their address in written form.

It is worth noting that on October 10, Emomali Rahmon arrived in the European Union on an official visit. Yesterday, he met with EU representatives in Belgium. On October 13, the official visit of President Emomali Rahmon to the French Republic begins.