DUSHANBE, June 20, Asia-Plus – On Wednesday June 20, the OSCE Office in Tajikistan presented the results of the report “Islamist Radicalization in Tajikistan: An Assessment of Current Trends” to representatives of embassies and international organizations in Dushanbe.
According to press release issued by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, the report assesses public perceptions of Islamist extremism and radicalization. The research was done by the Dushanbe-based Center for Socio-political Studies Korshinos through a combination of interviews, focus groups and a nation-wide survey of 3,500 respondents.
Based on the report recommendations, the OSCE Office in Tajikistan has proposed a number of follow-up activities to address violent extremism. They include assistance with counter-radicalization policy formulation and capacity building for government officials and civil society stakeholders.
“The research findings suggest that society in Tajikistan is quite resilient in regard to violent extremism,” said Ambassador Ivar Vikki, the Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan. “I hope the report will contribute to a more strategic understanding of radicalization trends in Tajikistan and encourage a knowledge-based approach for the development of a future strategy to counter violent extremism.”
“The findings of the survey confirm that extremism is a serious concern not only for government officials, but also for the general population,” said Poulod Shoazimov, Director of the Center for Socio-political Studies Korshinos. “However, our research demonstrated that there is also a potential for successfully preventing the threat of violent extremism.”
The report was also presented to representatives of 13 government agencies involved in countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism.
