Tajikistan - The Times Of Central Asia

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Legislation

Rahmon Calls To End Persecution For Social Media ‘Likes’

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has called on law enforcement agencies to stop prosecuting citizens for their activity on social media, particularly for likes and comments. Rahmon said this at the opening of a new training institute for Interior Ministry personnel, timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Constitution and the Day of the Tajik Police. In Tajikistan, even adding simple “likes” on posts by opposition figures, or reposting their videos, can lead to arrest. Since 2016, the country's Criminal Code has included a provision on “public justification of extremism,” which allows law enforcement agencies to equate likes with support for extremist ideas. For example, in August 2023, 70-year-old Kamoliddin Sharofov was sentenced to five years for liking posts on a banned website. Rahmon expressed concern over the growth of unfounded criminal cases against social media users, and noted that law enforcement agencies' actions undermine public confidence. He called for restraint, emphasizing that any police action should show respect for citizens' rights and the principles of democracy. The Tajik government has previously been criticized by the opposition and international organizations, including the U.S. State Department, for arresting citizens for their online activities.

Army

Uzbekistan Leads in Central Asia’s Military Strength Rankings

U.S. News recently published its list of the world’s strongest militaries, with Russia, the U.S., and Israel in the top three. The Times of Central Asia reviewed this rating in the Central Asian countries section. Uzbekistan ranks 19th globally in military strength, the highest in the region. However, U.S. News ranks the country 74th out of 78 in its “Best Countries” category, citing an economy still largely driven by cotton. Uzbekistan remains a major global player in cotton, as the fifth-largest exporter and seventh-largest producer worldwide. Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s largest economy, ranks 22nd for military strength and is noted for its vast reserves of fossil fuels, uranium, and other minerals. Much of Kazakhstan’s economic growth has been oil-driven, and the country ranks 83rd on the “Best Countries” list. U.S. News ranked countries based on cultural influence, entrepreneurship, heritage, openness to business, quality of life, and social purpose. In a separate ranking, the Global Firepower Military Index for 2024 lists Kazakhstan as Central Asia’s top military power, placing it at 58th worldwide. Uzbekistan has fallen by three places since last year’s rankings — the only country in the region not to show an improvement — and is now in the 65th position. In the bottom half of the table, Turkmenistan lies in 83rd place, while Kyrgyzstan is 100th. Global Firepower puts Tajikistan in 107th place, making it the region’s weakest army.

Crime

Five Uzbeks and One Tajik Escape Russian Penal Colony

On the morning of October 26, news broke that six prisoners had escaped from a penal colony in Russia’s Lipetsk region. The escapees—five from Uzbekistan and one from Tajikistan—had been planning their escape for over six months. They stole tools seven months prior and used them to dig two tunnels. The Lipetsk prison is where the infamous Aleksey Sherstobitov is serving a 23-year sentence. Sherstobitov, known as 'Lyosha the Soldier', was a notorious hitman in the 1990s, working for the infamous Orekhovskaya crime group. Law enforcement has detained five of the six prisoners, who escaped through a dug tunnel. The prisoners, all convicted of rape and drug trafficking, had planned to reach the Kazakhstan border but only managed to travel a few dozen kilometers toward Tambov and Moscow. The search for the remaining escapee is ongoing. A criminal case has been opened for negligence against the colony officials who allowed the prisoners to escape. If found guilty they could face up to seven years in prison under Article 293 of the Russian Criminal Code.

Infrastructure Development

ADB Finances Road Reconstruction in Tajikistan

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $86.67 million grant to help Tajikistan expand its degraded two-lane 49-km Dangara–Guliston highway to four lanes. Commenting on the move, ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov said: “ADB, in partnership with other organizations, promotes safe, accessible, and green transport infrastructure and services in our developing member countries. The Dangara–Guliston road, constructed in the 1930s and reconstructed in the 1970s, will become the first road in Tajikistan to incorporate climate adaptation and elements specific to women's needs." The project will fund two pilot charging stations and develop investment frameworks to catalyze private sector investment in Tajikistan's national charging infrastructure rollout. Safety is a high priority and to this end, the newly reconstructed road will include dedicated cycleways, wide sidewalks for people with children and disabilities, improved lighting and well-marked pedestrian crossings. Special toilets and changing facilities will be provided for mothers and babies, while public transport facilities will include preferential seating for people with disabilities. In addition to the above, the fund will incorporate training programs for women living in and around the project area to open and run small businesses, and award entrepreneurship grants to selected participants. The Tajikistan government has pledged $23 million towards the realization of the project whilst subject to its Board’s approval in early 2025, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD, will provide a $40 million co-financing loan. Tajikistan’s Ministry of Transport plans to complete the project in 2030.

Oil and Gas

Afghanistan to Boost Oil Production in the Amu Darya Basin

Afghanistan plans to launch 25 new oil wells in the Amu Darya basin, increasing daily oil production to 3,000 tons. Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, shared that there are currently 24 active wells in this field, from which 1,300 tons of oil are extracted daily. According to Fitrat: "The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum plans to activate 25 more wells by the end of this year, of which 18 will be newly drilled, two will be exploratory wells, and five will be rehabilitated.” Economic experts stress that officials should carefully plan new well drilling and attract investors to process the extracted oil. Economic expert Abdul Zahoor Madaber stated that Afghanistan has abundant natural resources but lacks modern machinery to process them, and cooperation with other countries is needed to import this equipment. Mohammad Asif Stanekzai, another economic expert, added: “The production and processing of natural resources can create job opportunities and have a positive impact on reducing inflation in Afghanistan.” According to the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, only 10% of Afghanistan’s oil needs are currently met from domestic production. The Amu Darya is a vital river for Central Asian countries. While 72-73% of its water originates in Tajikistan, the majority is used by neighboring countries. In April of this year, the countries of Central Asia distributed Amu Darya and Syrdarya water for the summer of 2024. Under the agreed quota, the draw on water from the Amu Darya watershed will be 56 billion cubic meters for the year, with about 40 billion cubic meters used in the April-to-October growing season. As stated in the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) agreement, Uzbekistan will receive 16 billion cubic meters, Turkmenistan will receive 15.5 billion cubic meters, and Tajikistan will receive 6.9 billion cubic meters. The ICWC claims that the total number of irrigated lands in Central Asian countries is 4.3 million hectares in Uzbekistan, 2.5 million hectares in Kazakhstan, 1.9 million hectares in Turkmenistan, 1 million hectares in Kyrgyzstan, and 680,000 hectares in Tajikistan.

Environmental Awareness

Rogun HPP Faces Criticism for Violating World Bank Standards

The international environmental coalition Rivers without Boundaries has released a report titled “Rogun Hydroelectric Power Plant Project: Non-Compliance Report with World Bank Requirements.” Outlining how the Rogun HPP in Tajikistan fails to meet the World Bank’s environmental and social standards, the report highlights violations in six key areas: environmental assessment, biodiversity protection, resource efficiency, dam safety, public participation, and forced displacement. It also highlights non-compliance with the bank’s policies on financing investment projects. The report’s authors point out that the situation worsened as a result of the World Bank taking responsibility for developing environmental and social safeguards for the Rogun HPP project on behalf of all financiers, including major banks like the AIIB, ADB, and EIB. In accepting this move, these institutions have effectively treated the World Bank's standards as their own. Therefore, if these standards are violated, the standards of other financial institutions are also breached. “We are convinced that the presented version of the Rogun HPP project does not comply with the social and environmental principles of the World Bank and should not be financed by international development banks in its current form,” said Evgeny Simonov, coordinator of the international environmental coalition 'Rivers Without Borders.' “Due to non-compliance with banking standards and procedures, the project includes many ineffective and risky elements that could lead to serious environmental and social damage during its implementation.” The report was created under the international Rogun Alert initiative, which represents environmental organizations worldwide. Last week, it was sent to all international development banks involved in the Rogun project. On October 23, an open letter signed by 124 public organizations, including Rivers Without Borders, highlighting the risks of financing large dam projects, including Rogun, will be presented to the World Bank management. According to the source, urgent international public consultations on the environmental and social impact of the construction of the Rogun HPP on the basin countries are planned for October 28 of this year.