President’s Administration Office has received a complaint from civil society regarding military recruitment raids (forcible conscription of young people into the army – Asia-Plus) and sent it for consideration to the Ministry of Defense, the Interior Ministry and the Prosecutor-General’s Office, known Tajik journalist Rajab Mirzo, who is one of initiators of this appeal, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
A letter signed by the first deputy head of President’s Administrative Office, Firdavs Hayotzoda, in particular, says, “The appeal… that was submitted to President’s Office is sent for consideration to you (relevant agencies – Asia-Plus). We ask you to notify the President’s Office and the authors of the appeal of the result so investigation in written form.”
Recall, Rajab Mirzo and other human rights activists in early April applied to Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper house of parliament) Speaker Rustam Emomali and President’s Administration Office Chairperson Ozoda Rahmon with solicitation to help stop military recruitment raids in the country.
A ‘hunt’ for persons of draft age, more commonly known as ‘raid’, which is sometimes used to catch young people, is a violation of the law. The Tajik authorities do not admit the use of raids, but ordinary citizens and analysts repeatedly expressed concern about the forced recruitment of young people, and other illegal methods used in recruiting campaigns.
With the beginning of the conscription period, the residents complain about the violation of their rights. Some residents claim that the authorities try to take them to the military registration office by force, detain them in the streets, markets, workplaces and educational institutions, without summons, and not even asking if a young man already served in the army.
The human rights activists of the country constantly criticize the military recruitment raids being practiced in Tajikistan.
Dilrabo Samadova, the head of the Office of Civil Freedoms public organization, which has provided legal assistance to conscripts and their families since 2006, believes that the tendency of using the illegal methods of conscription of young people into military service has intensified in recent years, according to CABAR.asia.
According to her, the majority of residents of large and densely populated districts and cities (Dushanbe, Khujand, Bokhtar, Isfara, Konibodom, Bobojon-Gahfourov district) complain about the military recruitment raids.
