In 2025, the authorities in Tajikistan have initiated criminal proceedings against 270 individuals, primarily fathers, for evading child support payments. According to the country's legislation, non-payment of alimony can result in penalties ranging from corrective labor to up to three years in prison.
This information was provided on February 10 by Alijon Aminzoda, the head of the Organization and Control Department of the Penal Execution Service, in an interview with Asia-Plus. He did not specify the prison sentences received by the 39 individuals who were arrested.
Aminzoda stated that in 2025, 753 people were put on the wanted list by law enforcement for avoiding alimony payments and hiding their whereabouts, compared to 514 in 2024.
Meanwhile, the head of the Penal Execution Service, Akhtam Abdullozoda, reported that a total of 13,765 individuals are currently listed as alimony debtors, and as a result, they have been banned from leaving the country. Of these, 8,332 people were added to this list in 2025 alone.
Abdullozoda noted that in 2025, Tajikistan collected 179.9 million somoni in child support payments for mothers and children, which was an increase of 147.2 million somoni compared to the previous year.
According to Tajikistan's legal framework, individuals who evade alimony payments for over three months are subject to prosecution. These individuals are placed on the debtor's list, and their ability to travel abroad is restricted.
"If a citizen pays alimony, the law also requires an advance payment for the next six months. Once this payment is made, the restriction on leaving Tajikistan is lifted," Abdullozoda explained.
He also mentioned that the agency cannot directly contact foreign governments for alimony enforcement; requests must go through the appropriate authorities and are only made upon the citizen's request.
"However, we don't face significant challenges in collecting alimony abroad. In 2025, our service received only 13 foreign court and arbitration decisions," said Abdullozoda.
The issue of evading alimony payments is not new in Tajik society, and the government has raised concerns about it in past years. In recent times, the ban on international travel for alimony defaulters has been presented as one of the key measures to address the issue.