Human Rights Defenders and lawyer representing victims – the largest Tajik opposition party in exile – denounce crimes against humanity committed by the State of Tajikistan and refer the matter to the International Criminal Court.
Press Release
On April 10, 2025 Freedom For Eurasia with support of Norwegian Helsinki Committee, the NGO FUVI – International Volunteers Ukrainian Fund, and Maître Nicolas Ligneul representing the Party for the Islamic Renaissance of Tajikistan (IRPT) – have filed an official communication with the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Freedom For Eurasia considers this a landmark complaint filed today with the ICC regarding the systematic human rights abuses in Tajikistan. This crucial legal action finally brings international attention to what has long been one of Central Asia’s most brutal and overlooked crises.
For years, dictator Rahmon’s government has operated with impunity, methodically eliminating all political opposition through violence, torture, and unlawful detention. The targeting of members and associates of IRPT and other opposition groups and critics represents one of the most comprehensive campaigns to crush peaceful political opposition in the region. What makes these violations particularly egregious is their systematic nature and the direct involvement of high-ranking government officials.
The evidence presented in this complaint – documenting over 60 cases of serious human rights violations – reflects only a fraction of the actual abuses. Many victims remain silent due to well-founded fear of retaliation against themselves and their families.
This filing, made under Article 15 of the Rome Statute, aims to refer to the ICC a situation of massive, persistent and systematic violations of human rights in the Republic of Tajikistan, which may constitute crimes against humanity within the meaning of Article 7 of the Statute.
The complaint is based on:
- individual cases of identified victims, documenting acts of arbitrary detention, torture, rape, solitary confinement, disappearance, forced exile and murder;
- Tajik judicial and administrative evidence, NGO reports, audio-visual materials and first-hand testimonies;
- material elements allowing direct or indirect responsibility to be attributed to senior officials of the State apparatus.
The reported facts cover a period from 2002 to 2024, during which time the authorities implemented a coordinated state policy to eradicate political opposition, in particular against members, sympathizers and associates of the IRPT, which was the largest opposition party in Tajikistan and the only Islamic party in Central Asia until it was banned in 2015.
The documented acts fall under several categories of crimes against humanity:
- murders and extrajudicial executions,
- enslavement in penal institutions,
- torture, sexual violence, forced deportations,
- disappearances, persecution for political or religious reasons,
- arbitrary detentions without a fair trial.
The communication formally requests:
- the opening of a preliminary investigation by the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC,
- recognition of the systematic and organized nature of these crimes,
- the indictment of senior Tajik State officials , including the current President,
- the implementation of protection measures for victims, witnesses and representatives.
We commend the courage of those who have come forward with testimony despite enormous personal risk. Their bravery deserves recognition, and more importantly, it demands justice. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated volunteers and experts who have contributed tirelessly over the past three years to collect testimonies and evidence vital to this mission. Their unwavering commitment and professionalism have been instrumental in shining a light on the human rights abuses occurring in Tajikistan. We deeply acknowledge the sacrifices they have made and the risks they face in this essential work, and we respect their need for anonymity to ensure their safety. We thank them for their courage and for standing in solidarity with those whose voices must be heard. Their efforts are an invaluable part of our collective fight for justice and accountability.
Tajikistan’s status as a Rome Statute signatory means the ICC has clear jurisdiction, and we call on the Office of the Prosecutor to act swiftly to open a formal investigation.
This case represents a critical test of international justice mechanisms. The world cannot continue to ignore Central Asia’s human rights crisis, and this complaint opens a path to accountability that has been absent for far too long.
The State of Tajikistan, which has been a party to the Rome Statute since 2000, is fully justiciable before the Court. In the face of the total absence of domestic remedies, the international route is the only hope for justice for the victims.
Press contact:
Leila Seiitbek
Email : leila.seiitbek@freedomforeurasia.org
Lawyer representing the victims:
Maître Nicolas Ligneul
Cabinet Ligneul – 32, rue Bernard Buffet – 75017 Paris
Phone: +33 1 45 81 29 83
Email : cabinet@ligneul.eu
