DUSHANBE, July 24, 2013, Asia-Plus – A joint press release issued by Pamir Barristers’ Association, Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law (BHR), Independent Human Rights Center, Child’s Rights Center and Nota Bene Public Foundation notes that a group of human rights organizations of Tajikistan have conducted independent survey on the last year’s Khorog events and their consequences.
“There had been many speculations regarding objectives and goals and possible consequences of the government military operation since it was launched. Lack of access to reliable information has caused many rumors about the casualties among civilians and servicemen of the power-wielding structures; according to various sources, the casualties fluctuated from 18 to 200 people.”
The human rights organizations have come to a conclusion that the events that took place in Khorog last summer raise serious issues in the field of human rights and decided to conduct an independent survey on the situation that emerged in the region following the mentioned events.
The survey was conducted from February to April 22013 and the following key human rights issues were reportedly studied: access of population to information during and after the special government operation; documentation of casualties; access to medical services for persons that were wounded during the operation; investigation into operation deaths; reparation of damages; and measures taken by the government to improve the situation in the region.
Representatives of local authorities of Gorno Badakhshan, residents of Khorog, including relatives of those killed or wounded during the operation, as well as representatives of civil society (NGOs, media, political parties) have been surveyed.
“Today, on July 24, the document was submitted to the authorities as well as to those who were surveyed by members of the monitoring group for getting subsequent comments. The document will be officially published and distributed to all interested persons,” the human rights activists noted.
They consider that the government should review the main human rights violations that were revealed during the survey:
The right to establish the truth.
Although a year has passed since the Khorog events, there is now access to reliable information about: goals and objectives of the government military operation conducted in Khorog; the number of military personnel participating in the operation; number of casualties that occurred during and after the special operation; and investigation into the operation and post-operation deaths.
Access to information.
Mobile and fixed-line communications as well as Internet were cut off in Khorog during the operation. Besides, several websites were blocked after fighting in Khorog.
Use of force and weapons.
International standards provide for the requirements of proportionality and necessity of use of force and weapons and planning any operations in order to minimize possible casualties. According to some sources, 22 civilians and 23 military personnel were killed during the operation. Lack of information about the exact number of casualties among civilians and military personnel evokes serious concern.
Investigation.
Although a year has passed since the Khorog events, there is still no information about the number of criminal proceedings instituted regarding the operation and post operation deaths and wounds.
We will recall that the clashes began in Khorog on July 24, 2012 at 4:00 am when government forces launched a military operation against what it called “militants” following the murder of the regional security chief Abdullo Nazarov, who was stabbed to death on July 21, 2012. The operation lasted for several weeks.
The authorities blamed Tolib Ayombekov, a former warlord from the civil war who had been deputy chief of border unit in the Ishkashim district until recently, for the murder of the regional security chief Abdullo Nazarov. Hundreds of troops have reportedly poured into Khorog to hunt down Ayombekov. Authorities also accused Ayombekov of drug-trading and smuggling tobacco and precious stones.
Tolib Ayombekov denied the accusations and said the government used Nazarov”s death as a pretext for cementing its grip over Gorno Badakhshan. He surrendered to the authorities on August 12.
Another former filed commander of the United Tajik Opposition (UTO) in Gorno Badakhshan, Imomnazar Imomnazarov, was murdered by unknown assailants in his home in Khorog on August 22.
