An annual report by Tajikistan’s Ombudsman Office, in particular, notes that nine officers of military registration and enlistment offices were persecuted last year for shanghaiing young men of the draft age.
Referring to the Main Military Prosecutor’s Office, the Ombudsman Office says military prosecutors last year received 984 complaints of violation of rights 87 young men during the conscription campaigns.
As a result, criminal proceedings have been instituted against nine officers from the Khatlon regional military recruitment office and military recruitment offices in Hisor, Khushoniyon, Rasht, Ishkashim, Kulob and Vose districts as well as Dushanbe’s Shohmansour district.
The Ombudsman Office’s report also notes that 71 cases of violation of rights of military personnel were reported in the country last year.
Criminal proceedings were instituted against 120 military personnel and students of military schools for crimes related to desertion and unauthorized leaving of the duty station, reads the report.
Referring to the Ministry of Defense, the report notes that twenty-two military deaths were reported in 2022; four of them died from diseases, two others were killed in traffic accidents, three deaths were caused by accidents, five other committed suicide, one soldier was killed by a colleague; two cases are not related to the service, and in twelve case, soldiers were killed while on duty. .
Meanwhile, in a national report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council, the Government of Tajikistan reportedly noted that more than 100 soldiers died during the period from 2019 to 2021, mainly due to hazing in the army.
Hazing is any conduct whereby a military member or members, regardless of Service or rank, without proper authority causes another military member or members, regardless of Service or rank, to suffer or be exposed to any activity which is cruel, abusive, humiliating, oppressive, demeaning, or harmful.
Bullying and hazing — sometimes with lethal consequences – still have been a serious problem in Tajikistan.
