DUSHANBE, June 24, 2014, Asia-Plus — The Interior Ministry has reportedly completed investigation into the incident that took place outside the British Embassy in Dushanbe on June 10 and administrative action has been imposed upon five persons.
According to information posted on the Interior Ministry’s website, 15 other people have been warned and preventive conversation has been carried out with remaining 27 people participating in the protest rally in front of the British Embassy.
We will recall that a group of protesters rallied in front of the British Embassy in Dushanbe on June 10. They threw stones at the embassy building. According to some sources, the protesters also smashed the embassy”s security cameras and scuffled with security personnel.
The activists were reportedly protesting foreigners’ travel to Gorno-Badakhshan alleging that foreign forces provoke instability in that region.
The gathering was not sanctioned by city authorities and all the protesters were brought to a police station in Dushanbe’s Ismoili Somoni district.
On Thursday June 12, British Ambassador to Tajikistan, Mr. Robin Ord-Smith, made a statement regarding the rally.
“The British Embassy and UK Government support free speech and the right to peaceful protest. I am disappointed that Tuesday’s demonstration resulted in damage of Embassy property. I can confirm that no Embassy employees injured and we are grateful to Tajik authorities for help in dispersing the demonstration when it became violent. I cannot confirm what the demonstration was about as no letter was handed over to the Embassy. But I and the UK Embassy are always happy to engage with civil society in a constructive manner,” the statement says
