Freedom from Torture
Civil Society Coalition against Torture and impunity in Tajikistan
In the framework of the campaign devoted to the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Coalition Against Torture held several activities.
Submitted by admin on 28.06.2022 - 19:13
As part of this campaign, various thematic events were conducted in the capital city and regions between May 16 and June 26, 2022:
Online presentation of "Me and My Rights!" mobile application
An online presentation of the mobile app "Me and My Rights" took place from May 16 to June 1, 2022. During this time, participants went over almost every component of the app. The main focus was on the section entitled "For Victims of Violence", where it was important to convey complex legal information to users in a simplified form. Thus, users have learned what torture, administrative detention, domestic violence, and the rights of people living with HIV and those of KP (key populations) are. In addition, the app prescribes the actions to be taken to address the occasions of violation of rights in the cases described, and also there is a guide where you can find the necessary contacts.
An online quiz was held On June 1, 2022, as an output of the "Me and My Rights" information campaign. Three winners were identified based on the results of the quiz: Khushang Jumaev, Firuz Yusufi, and Khusrav Zikrulloev. The young men were the most active and fastest in answering the questions about the "Me and My Rights" mobile application.
https://notorturetj.org/news/mobilnoe-prilozhenie-ya-i-moi-prava
Organization of mobile legal reception: provision of individual legal advice in the Dushanbe and Sughd and Khatlon regions
Legal counseling was organized in Dushanbe and regions. For example, legal advice was provided: on 24 May 2022 in the city of Dushanbe by lawyers Azizjon Boboev from the NGO "World of Law" and Abdurahmon Sharipov from the NGO "Independent Center for Human Rights Protection" both of whom are members of the Coalition against Torture and Impunity in Tajikistan;
on May 28, 2022, in the city of Bokhtar by members of the Coalition against Torture and Impunity in Tajikistan together with representatives of the local branch of the Union of Lawyers of Tajikistan: Nazokat Makhmadalieva and Ibrohim Karimov;
n June 6, 2022, in Khujand and June 8, 2022, in Panjakent by lawyers Khursheda Rahimova and Fakhriddin Fuzailov from the NGO "Nachalo", a member of the Coalition against Torture and Impunity in Tajikistan.
Free advice for the population on all human rights issues was provided on these days by Coalition’s lawyers from 10:00 to 12:00. Citizens were interested in different information such as marriage registration and divorce procedures, labor migration, pension benefits, the rights of children whose parents are divorced, housing issues, etc.
https://notorturetj.org/en/news/mobile-legal-consultations
Hosting a radio program on freedom from torture
On May 25, 2022, Mutriba Alijanova, a lawyer from Public Foundation "Legal Initiative", a member of the Coalition of Civil Society against Torture and Impunity in Tajikistan, was a guest of the studio in "Rosto" program on Avtoradio from 11:00 to 12:00.
On May 26, 2022, from 13:00 to 14:00, radio "Asia-Plus" aired a radio program as part of the daytime show "My Rights!". Guests in the studio were Husniddin Nidoev from the Department for State Protection of Civil and Political Rights under the Ombudsman's Office in Tajikistan, Shoira Davlatova, executive director of the NGO "Independent Center for Human Rights Protection", and Abdurahmon Sharipov, a lawyer from the NGO "Independent Center for Human Rights Protection", a member of the Civil Society Coalition against torture and impunity in Tajikistan.
The experts shared information regarding the recommendations of the Committee against Torture for the Republic of Tajikistan and what activities had been undertaken by the state to implement the recommendations. The experts also answered numerous questions from radio listeners who were interested to know the difference between torture and ill-treatment, the purpose of torture, where the torture is most likely to take place and whether amnesty applies to perpetrators of torture, etc.
Posting on billboards in the capital of quotations by the president and other state officials condemning the use of torture and ill-treatment
Between June 01 and June 10, 2022, as part of the "Stop torture and impunity!" campaign videos with quotes from government officials and well-known persons about the prohibition of torture were placed on large monitors throughout the city of Dushanbe: at the intersection of Central Department Store, at the intersection of the House of Press, near the Dushanbe Hotel, on the roundabout near the circus, in front of Mehrgon market, opposite the amphitheater and near the monument to Ismoili Somoni. The videos were based on the principles of national and international law, in particular, Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms "No one shall be subjected to torture or ill-treatment".
Master class, contests, and quizzes for youth and women in Dushanbe and Sughd Region;
A master class dedicated to freedom from torture was held on June 5, 2022, in PARKING Café in Dushanbe.
On June 6, 2022, in the city of Penjikent, and on 8 June 2022 in the city of Khujand information sessions on freedom from torture were organized in the American corner, followed by contests and prize competitions via an online quiz (quiz on Kahoot platform) for youth and women. The quiz contained questions about human rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the right to freedom from torture, etc., and the winners of the online quiz received valuable gifts (wireless headphones, USB flash drives, and power bank devices).
Online campaign on Coalition's pages on social media
From June 20 to June 26, 2022, a quote from state officials and well-known persons on the prohibition of torture was posted on daily basis on the website of the Coalition Against Torture and Impunity in Tajikistan on Coalition's pages on social media. The information included contact details for appeal in the event of torture and ill-treatment.
The link is.
PHOTO EXHIBITION AND PRESENTATION of the updated book "BROKEN FATES" - DID NOT TAKE PLACE
This scheduled activity devoted to the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture did not take place this year
The Coalition was not able to obtain permission from the official authorities to hold the events.
On May 10, 2022, NGO "Independent Center for Human Rights Protection" sent a notification letter to the Municipality of Dushanbe city and SCNS RT concerning the organization of events by the Coalition of Civil Society Against Torture and Impunity to honor the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, which is celebrated annually on June 26. The letter noted that the upcoming campaign is held following the National Action Plan for the implementation of UN recommendations for 2019-2022.
On May 24, the NGO "Independent Center for Human Rights Protection" received a response letter from the Municipality of Dushanbe, signed by the Deputy Chairman of the capital city Odilzoda D.R., which stated that to conduct the above activities, to ensure security and public order, it was necessary to obtain a positive opinion from the Department of the State Committee for National Security of the Republic of Tajikistan in Dushanbe and other relevant bodies, but no such opinion had been received. "Therefore, without obtaining the relevant opinion, we consider it impossible to conduct these events", - notes the letter from Dushanbe Municipality.
A response letter from the SCNS was never received.
The purpose of the event was legal education of the population and education of youth based on the international standards and the legislation of the Republic of Tajikistan in the field of freedom from torture. Conducting such events facilitates the consolidation of efforts and demands to the public authorities to form a policy of "zero tolerance" to torture in Tajikistan.
detailed information with dates can be found on our website: https://notorturetj.org/ and social media pages[1], that are accompanied with the following hashtags:
#Стоп пыткам и безнаказанности!
#Stop torture and impunity!
#Аз шиканҷа ва беҷазоӣ даст кашед!
[1] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notorture.tj
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoTorturetj
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/notorture-tj
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWfjfabt9tacFgj-rcJZqtw
Odnoklassniki: https://ok.ru/group/54476259131498
Telegram: http://t.me/notorturetj
Instagram: notorture.tj
The event was made possible with the financial support of the Sigrid Rausing Foundation and the European Union \Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights.