Ahead of the autumn draft, Tajikistan's Minister of Defense, Sherali Mirzo, urged his subordinates to avoid any illegal activities during the conscription campaign.
According to the Defense Ministry’s press service, he made this statement on September 23 during a meeting with chiefs of regional and city military registration and enlistment offices.
The meeting reportedly addressed issues such as ensuring that healthy young men are conscripted into the Armed Forces, preventing unlawful methods of conscription, and combating offenses, particularly corruption. According to the press service, the minister expressed concern about certain shortcomings during the spring draft, but specific details were not disclosed.
Sherali Mirzo instructed officials to take outreach efforts to ensure effective communication with the public and draft-age youth. The chief military recruitment officers were reportedly tasked with addressing citizens' concerns related to the draft.
Conscription in Tajikistan remains a sensitive issue. Poor conditions, mistreatment of soldiers, inadequate management, and incidents of fatalities in military units are frequently cited as reasons why many young men refuse to serve in the Tajik army.
In recent years, new and controversial methods of enforcing conscription have been reported, including "holding parents hostage," cutting off electricity, and closing mosque doors for families whose sons refuse to serve. It is unclear whether Minister Sherali Mirzo discussed these practices at the meeting.
The two-month-long effort seeking to enlist young men aged 18-27 for the two-year compulsory military service takes place twice a year, in the spring and in the autumn.
The autumn conscription campaign starts on October 1 and runs through November. The draft affects able-bodied male citizens in the age bracket of 18 years old to 27 years old, who are not members of the armed forces reserve.
Young Tajiks can avoid or postpone military service if they are ill, studying at university, an only son, or if they have two children.
Recall, amendments were made to the country’s law on military service in January 2021. The amendments came into effect on February 4, 2021 and young men in Tajikistan who wish to forgo the military service may now do so by paying a fee to the government. A one-month basic reserve service is organized for those who did not perform conscript service for a fee. At the end of basic reserve service they receive military cards.
Besides, under the law on the universal military duty in new edition, graduates of universities having military department will also be drafted into the army for one year.
Only people who have done military service will be permitted to obtain employment with the government or join the army in a professional capacity.
Tajikistan’s armed forces consist of Ground Forces, Mobile Forces (paratroopers of the armed forces of Tajikistan), Air Force and Air Defense Force.
Many young men in Tajikistan try to avoid conscription. One reason is that, as in many former Soviet countries, the Tajik Army is known for the brutal hazing of new recruits. Potential recruits also fear being deployed to conflict zones. Several soldiers were reported killed or wounded in recurring clashes along the Tajik-Kyrgyz border in recent years. There are also overwhelming claims that the rich and powerful use their clout to get their sons out of military service — leading to beliefs that conscription is only for the poor. To avoid the army, many conscript-aged men move to Russia during the twice-a-year drafts in the spring and fall. Some bribe doctors and enlistment officials to secure an exemption on medical grounds.
