Press-release

European Union funded Project Launches in Tajikistan to Strengthen Human Rights and Penitentiary System Reform

4 March 2024, Dushanbe –

The Public Organization “The World of Law” and the Dutch Foundation “Perspectivity Challenge” are pleased to announce the launch of the “Paths to Justice: Strengthening Human Rights through Torture Prevention and Penitentiary System Reform” project, funded by the European Union. The project, which will run from February 2024 to April 2026, aims to enhance the capacities of civil society organizations (CSOs), young lawyers, judicial authorities, law enforcement, and prison staff in Tajikistan to prevent torture, uphold human rights, and promote a fair and effective penitentiary system.

The project’s overall objective is to contribute to a just and equitable society by strengthening      torture prevention measures and supporting penitentiary system reform. Specifically, the project will:

• Implement comprehensive strategies and initiatives to prevent and address torture through capacity building and the introduction of effective police interviewing systems (Mendez Principles).

• Advocate and facilitate human rights-based prison reform initiatives                            

           through sustainable capacity building and effective prison management systems.

The project’s target group includes civil society organizations, young lawyers, advocates, victims of human rights violations and torture, and the general public in Tajikistan, as well as prison management and prison staff members at the Main Prison Department under the Ministry of Justice, investigators and interrogators at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Police Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan, the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Supreme Court, the Parliament, and the Ombudsman.

The project will also conduct research and data analysis on human rights violations and torture,       establish a data collection system to gather comprehensive information on instances of torture, and offer legal, security, and psychological support services to human rights defenders, victims of human rights violations, and torture survivors.

The project will pilot a project in Dushanbe and Khujand to test the application of international best practices on investigative interviewing. These activities will be interconnected and complementary, forming a comprehensive approach to enhance human rights protection, prevent torture, and promote a fair and effective penitentiary system.

The project partners are committed to working closely with all stakeholders to achieve the project’s objectives and contribute to a just and equitable society in Tajikistan.

For further details, please contact: Faizulloyeva Sulkhiya at world.law.tj@gmail.com or at telephone number +992 55 333 66 22