The Supreme Council of the IRPT strongly condemns the new wave of arrests and retaliation of the opposition members, especially the IRPT’s members, which is still undergoing since the second half of 2017 and considers these acts as immoral and continuation of revocation of the covenants.

In 2015, the IRPT announced that it had ceased its activities within the country, and no one has the right to work on behalf of the party. Similarly, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that no one would be prosecuted on charges of the IRPT membership or cooperation with it during the period the IRPT has been officially working. But the Tajikistan authorities have not shown legitimacy and commitment to their promises as usual.

Beginning from the second half of 2017 till today, more than 100 former opposition members have been detained, 2 persons died due to pressures and tortures, 27 persons were sentenced from 25 years to 3 years in prison, 5 persons are nowadays kept in the custody. (See more details on appendix)
This shows that the government continues its repressive and revengeful policies in order to keep the atmosphere of fear and horror. This puts the life and freedom of all supporters of opposition in danger and there are always possibilities that they face arrest, torture, harassment, and imprisonment. The government makes illegally new travel barriers for the citizens, especially for the relatives of the political activists and thus it has turn the country into a big prison.

The government has recently started a new wave of increasing pressures on the families of the activists after the IRPT’s leaders and activists has started daily online speeches in social networks analysing the situation. The pressures on the families continues throughout the country.

These revengeful and thoughtless acts of the government against former members of the opposition and their families has led to the fact that more than 3320 Tajik citizens, according to latest statement of Freedom House, have applied for asylum in western countries and this process continues unprecedented. The former members of the opposition have little chance to protect their life within the country and only way is to leave the country.

The Supreme Council of the IRPT once again draws the attention of the international community, in particular, international organizations, friendly countries and partners of Tajikistan to the crisis situations of the opposition supporters and their families and urges them to take appropriate measures to ensure the freedom and security of the opponents and their families.

Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan
11.06.2018