Brussels, 10/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - During the eighth round of the annual dialogue between the EU and Tajikistan, which was held in Dushanbe, the European delegation led by Toivo Klaar, the head of the Central Asia Division of the European External Action Service (EEAS), urged Tajikistan to make progress on human rights.
Reiterating its “serious concern regarding a number of developments over the past year, including the prosecution and imprisonment of political opponents, members of their families, and lawyers representing them”, the EU urged Tajikistan to fully investigate reports of torture and violations of the right to a fair trial. According to an EEAS press release, the European delegation nevertheless welcomed recent steps to enhance legal safeguards against torture, and it encouraged greater efforts to implement these safeguards and to prosecute those responsible for torture.
The EU also called on the Tajik authorities to ease pressure on journalists and to cease blocking news websites. The Tajik authorities should facilitate the work of civil society organisations and people working on human rights, and hold new consultations with NGOs on the development of new financial reporting procedures, the delegation added. The disclosure of financial information on how NGOs are funded has been obligatory since 2015.
In Strasbourg the same day, the European Parliament stated in a resolution that it was deeply concerned at the continuing deterioration of the human rights situation in Tajikistan (see EUROPE 11569). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)