Violations of land legislation have become more frequent in Tajikistan

Over the first nine months of 2024, 10,178 cases of land law violations have been identified in the country.  The Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Land Management and Geodesy of the Republic of Tajikistan (Committee), Dilovar Pirzoda, announced this at the Committee’s meeting on October 8. 

According to him, during the reporting period, the Committee and its subordinate bodies identified 10,178 cases of violations. To address these violations, 9,088 orders were issued, and administrative cases were initiated in 9,064 instances, with 75% of the fines already collected.  A total of 849 cases have been submitted to the prosecutor's office for legal assessment, and 724 materials have been transferred to the Execution Service under the Government of Tajikistan for the compulsory collection of fines.

Heads of the regional, city, and district land management departments have also reported on their work during the same nine-month period, noting the measures taken to eliminate existing deficiencies and prevent future violations of land legislation.

Orif Khojazoda, the Chairman of the State Committee for Land Management and Geodesy, emphasized that no violation of the law goes unnoticed by law enforcement agencies, and any intentional breach of land legislation leads to accountability.

In 2022, Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon signed an amendment to the Constitutional Law "On Local Government Bodies," allowing regional, city, and district heads to be dismissed for making unlawful decisions regarding the allocation or withdrawal of land plots.

Here are the 15 most common types of land legislation violations in Tajikistan:

1. Illegal land transactions: Officials responsible may face fines ranging from 500 to 1,000 calculation indicators (equivalent to 36,000-72,000 somoni) or be banned from holding certain positions for up to three years.
2. Illegal land seizure: Unauthorized use or appropriation of state land.
3. Negligent land use: Includes failure to improve land, protect it from erosion, or the destruction of fertile soil.
4. Violation of special-use land regulations: Relating to protected, health, conservation, and other specially designated lands.
5. Land contamination: Fines for individuals range from 720 to 1,440 somonis, officials from 2,160 to 2,880 somonis, and legal entities from 7,200 to 14,400 somonis.
6. Non-targeted land use.
7. Unauthorized construction: Building structures that negatively affect land conditions.
8. Using land without proper documentation.
9. Violation of land transfer procedures: Fines for individuals range from 360 to 720 somonis, officials from 1,440 to 2,160 somonis, and legal entities from 5,040 to 7,200 somonis.
10. Failure to pay land tax: Fines for individuals range from 216 to 504 somonis, officials from 1,440 to 2,160 somonis, and legal entities from 5,040 to 7,200 somonis.
11. Unauthorized exchange of land plots: Fines for individuals range from 720 to 1,080 somonis, officials from 2,160 to 2,880 somoni, and legal entities from 10,800 to 14,400 somonis.
12. Violating land reclassification procedures: Similar fines as for unauthorized land exchange.
13. Failure to provide or providing false land use information: Fines for individuals range from 360 to 720 somoni, officials from 2,160 to 2,880 somonis, and legal entities from 5,040 to 7,200 somonis.
14. Non-use of land for two or more years: Fines for individuals range from 720 to 1,440 somonis, officials from 2,160 to 2,880 somonis.
15. Non-use of household land, collective gardening, or vegetable plots for one year: Fines for individuals range from 144 to 288 somonis.