National Alliance of Tajikistan, the coalition of oppositional parties and groups of Tajikistan in exile, closely monitors the highly alarming situation in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) and other parts of Tajikistan in connection to the latest atrocities perpetrated by the law enforcement and security forces followed by unprecedented repressions against the indigenous ethnic, confessional, and linguistic Pamiri minority.

With the view of the violent suppression of peaceful protests in Vamar and Khorog that led to multiple cases of extrajudicial executions of citizens, kidnapping of youth activists, assassination of community leaders, mass detention, torture and other ill-treatment in the custodies, incarceration of journalists, civil activists, human rights defenders and bloggers, NAT urges:

— The Pamiri natives residing, studying, or working abroad to refrain from travelling to Tajikistan, considering the recent numerous cases of arbitrary detention at the arrival in Dushanbe international airport as well as the ground border-crossing points from Uzbekistan;

— The foreign countries, where Pamiri natives are residing, studying, or working in, should extend their legal status with the consideration of substantial threat of persecution, harassment, torture and other ill-treatment they might face upon their arrival in Tajikistan based on their ethnic origins;

— The foreign countries, where Pamiri natives requested political asylum because of fear of intimidation, persecution, and reprisals, should review their applications on an expedient manner and provide them with international protection;

— The foreign countries, where Pamiri natives have been detained due to violation of visa regime or other misconducts, and face deportation or extradition to Tajikistan, should refrain from it, taking into account the life-threatening consequences they might be subjected to in Tajikistan.

The NAT is going to continue monitoring of the situation in GBAO and Tajikistan and will update the given statement in accordance with the latest developments. The leadership of NAT remains available for holding negotiations with all parties, including the diplomatic missions, international organizations and private entities interested in resolving the unprecedented persecution and repression of indigenous Pamiri minority carried out by Tajik authoritarian regime.

The National Alliance of Tajikistan

01.06.2022