Tajikistan’s human rights abuses: Western hypocrisy?
Everyone knows, who should know, about the Tajik authorities’ blatant human rights abuses. Why then are so few governments paying attention or actually doing anything about them?
A quick survey of only a few of the main human rights websites reveals the following damning commentary:
“The government of Tajikistan intensified its crackdown on human rights and fundamental freedoms in 2022, violently repressing peaceful gatherings in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) and using trumped-up charges against human rights defenders in retaliation for their professional activities.”
“Tens of ethnic Pamiri protesters were killed by security forces as demonstrations were violently suppressed and an ‘anti-terrorist operation’ was launched in the east of the country. Activists, local leaders, journalists and bloggers were arrested and sentenced in unfair trials. Many reported being tortured.”
“Minority Rights Group International (MRG) reiterates its deep concern at the charges and subsequent sentencing brought against [human rights] activists and journalists. There was no evidence of credible charges or due process and it is likely that any ‘confessions’ were obtained through torture and other forms of coercion.”
World Organisation Against Torture
“The authorities have increasingly restricted the legal space for human rights organisations and independent lawyers to provide assistance to victims of human rights violations, including torture.”
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders
“The authorities in Tajikistan must radically improve the situation of its human rights defenders, and dispel an intensifying climate of fear, a UN independent expert said today after a two-week official visit to the country.”
UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Freedom
“… the scope for the exercise of freedom of religion or belief falls alarmingly short of the guarantees of international human rights law to which Tajikistan is bound.”
UN Special Rapporteur on Minorities Issues
“The Government’s heavy-handed response to end protests by the Pamiri minority through arrests, the excessive and unlawful use of force, and the involvement of the military is disproportionate and deeply disturbing. “
“Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: arbitrary or unlawful killings; torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment by the government; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention; political prisoners; transnational repression against individuals in another country; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary …”
“There is a need to enhance the rule of law and improve the functioning of the legal system.”
And many more.
No one involved in collaboration with the Tajik regime can now pretend not to know that human rights are being abused daily. So why are they silent?
The two major Western players in diplomatic relations with Tajikistan are undoubtedly the USA and the European Union. It must be noted that Tajikistan is playing a weak hand with some skill. Proximity to Russia and China as rivals to Western countries encourages Tajikistan to refuse to engage on human rights with the West. Moreover, Tajikistan is also playing a double game with Russia and China, both of which are seeking influence in Dushanbe.
Does the West have leverage? On the one hand, despite Russia’s military posturing, the Central Asian countries, including Tajikistan, have been careful not to get drawn into the war with Ukraine.
China is more feared than loved in Tajikistan and there is much suspicion of Chinese intentions. A land transfer in eastern Tajikistan in 2011, giving away significant mineral resources to China, is a contributory factor to opposition by the inhabitants of the region to the central government. Moreover, the reputation of China’s Road and Belt Initiative as a debt trap for developing countries is certainly present in the thinking of the Tajik leadership.
Improved relations with the West, especially in the area of trade, is very much in Tajikistan’s long-term interest.
The position of the USA is ambiguous. At the same time as the State Department is denouncing human right abuses, the US military and CIA are working closely with the Tajik government on securing the long border with Afghanistan. While this conforms to US policy against Islamic extremism, it can be argued that the repression of the Pamiri people in the east of the country is in reality creating a less stable border with Afghanistan. Even China has a similar security interest in the region.
The Tajik delegation to the recent meeting of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was visibly uncomfortable at the questioning of Tajik policies and practices on human rights by the committee members. The message will certainly have got back to Dushanbe. President Rahmon himself would benefit from someone daring to tell him the truth about Tajikistan’s international reputation and might see the value of some response to the volume of international criticism, by, for example, releasing some of the more prominent among those arbitrarily detained.
The EU, through its Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Tajikistan, in force since 2010, could probably exert more pressure than it is currently doing. Given the dangers of too much reliance on Russia and China, Tajikistan would be very unwise to curtail its relations with the EU.
The overall policy of the EU in its external relations is that “all treaties and agreements signed by the EU need to be compliant with human rights as defined by the EU charter. This means that all Council bodies dealing with foreign affairs need to incorporate human rights into their work.” The EU is currently engaged in negotiations for the enhancement of the Partnership Agreement with Tajikistan. These negotiations include compliance with the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights.
Moreover, Tajikistan is seeking access to the EU’s “General System of Preferences Plus” (GSP+). Eligible countries have to implement 27 international conventions on
- human rights
- labour rights
- the environment
- good governance
In return, the EU cuts its import duties to zero on more than two thirds of the tariff lines of their exports.
Tajikistan is currently a beneficiary of the EU’s Standard GSP. In 2021, total EU imports from Tajikistan amounted to €162 million. Tajikistan makes considerable use of the preferences granted under the GSP; about 98% of eligible Tajik exports to the EU benefit from reduced tariffs. Despite the relatively low current volumeof exports to the EU, a cut to zero tariffs is certainly in Tajikistan’s economic interest and an opportunity to diversify its trade. GSP+ also gives the EU substantial leverage in its relations with the Dushanbe regime.
However, repeated enquiries to the Press Office and Tajikistan desk of the European Commission in Brussels have received no answers to key questions:
” What is the current EU assessment of Tajikistan’s compliance with the relevant international conventions?”
” Are the current trade negotiations conditional on concrete progress in the Human Rights Dialogues, underway since 2008?”
” Is the competent department of the EU for trade relations with Tajikistan fully aware of the current repressive policies and human rights abuses of the Tajik government in relation to the Pamiri indigenous and religious minority of GBAO in general and to Pamiri human rights activists in particular?”
Hypocrisy? Judge for yourself.
Original article by William Roberts, 1 June 2023
