Tajik NGOs to Present Rights Report to UN Review in November 2026

September 19, 2026 at 01:05 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Seven Tajik NGOs have submitted a 65-page report to the UN Universal Periodic Review, documenting forced closures of over 900 civic groups and the deportation of 1,452 Afghan refugees in 2025. The report will be considered by the UN Working Group in November 2026 alongside the government's official submission. It also cites 40 military deaths in 2023 and an acquittal rate of 0.1 percent.

Key Facts

Seven Tajik NGOs submitted a 65-page report to the UN Universal Periodic Review covering 2021–2025.
The report states that over 900 civic organizations were forcibly closed and 1,452 Afghan refugees were deported in the first 10 months of 2025.
The acquittal rate in Tajik courts was 0.1 percent, and 40 military personnel died in 2023.
The report will be reviewed by the UN Working Group in November 2026 together with the government's official report.

Civil Society Restrictions

The report says civic space in Tajikistan narrowed unprecedentedly between 2021 and 2025. Many organizations were forced to self-dissolve, while those remaining faced financial difficulties, rising state fees, and constant inspections. The report also describes freedom of expression as crisis-level and notes Tajikistan is ranked among 'not free' countries in international indexes.

Judiciary and Military

The authors state that judicial reform has not produced the desired results, and courts remain heavily dependent on the executive branch and prosecutors. Acquittals have become a rare phenomenon, with a rate of just 0.1 percent. The report says hazing and military deaths have not been eliminated, with 40 servicemen killed in 2023 alone.

Refugees and Stateless Children

Despite legislative guarantees, 1,452 Afghan refugees were forcibly deported in the first 10 months of 2025, which the authors call a clear violation of international norms. Children of stateless parents often remain without documents and citizenship from birth, contradicting the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The government's position on the report is unknown, but media have repeatedly covered forced closures of civic organizations, military deaths, and the absence of acquittals.