We — an assembly of Tajik civil society activists, understanding the whole depth of the economic, social and political degradation of the country, witnessing a hazardous level of endemic corruption of the state and social injustice fraught with outburst of hostility and violence, considering the situation as threatening for the national unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Tajikistan as well as the stability of the whole region, declare the establishment of the “Forum of Tajik Freethinkers”, henceforth as FTF.

The founders took the decision on the establishment of FTF in November 2015. FTF is an independent legal entity open to all Tajiks and Tajikistanis regardless of their nationality, gender, social status, political and confessional affiliation, who share our principal goals, which are as follows:

• Strengthening the foundations and norms of democracy and protecting the secular nature of political order in Tajikistan;
• Striving to build a society based on the supremacy of the rights and freedoms of the individual, to which the state is subordinated;
• Instilling a culture of respect for laws and reliance on professionals in the selection of personnel, and eradicating incompetence, corruption and nepotism;
• Development and expansion of national consciousness, eradication of parochialism, nationalism (xenophobia), racism, and the formation of a society of civil consciousness;
• Enhancement of the quality of education and health, upgrading the level equal to the advanced countries;
• Identification of problems in various areas and suggesting ways of addressing them;
• Presentation and popularization of the culture, art and history of the Tajiks in the world;
• Inculcating the norms of a culture of mutual respect and tolerance in society and the state and counteracting the spread of religious and secularist radicalism;
• Protection of the rights of Tajiks and Tajikistanis in any part of the world;
In connection with the aforementioned goals, the FTF considers the following as its objectives:
• Cooperation with national and international institutions of civil society for the restoration of the rights and freedoms of citizens, especially political prisoners and members of their families;
• Restoring legitimate political competition in the media space of the country;
• Cooperation with organizations, movements and parties, and research institutions for building a new democratic and developed Tajikistan.

The goals and objectives of the FTF are described in more detail in the Charter. «The Forum of Tajik Freethinkers» is open for collaboration for the sake of a comprehensive development of our beloved homeland with all those who share and support our goals.

Founders of “The Forum of Tajik Freethinkers”:

Alim Sherzamonov, (Chairman of the Executive Committee and Speaker of the FTF)
Temur Varki
Ravshan Temourian
Sayidunyus Istaravshani
Hakim Rabbimpur
and
Ayub Egamov, member of the Leadership Council of FTF

February 12, 2018
Vienna, Austria