Tajikistan’s investigative authorities have released 405 individuals from criminal responsibility for "liking" extremist and terrorist-related content over the past year. This was announced by the General Prosecutor of Tajikistan, Habibullo Vohidzoda, at a news conference in Dushanbe on February 13.
These individuals were cleared of criminal liability following a directive from the country's president, urging authorities to refrain from initiating criminal cases related to "likes," comments, and reactions on social media posts with extremist and terrorist content. This also followed amendments to the Criminal Code.
The law "On Amendments to the Criminal Code," which removes criminal responsibility for "likes," reposts, and other forms of digital reactions on social media, was signed by President Emomali Rahmon on May 14, 2025.
"In 2025, 405 individuals were exempted from criminal responsibility under the relevant amendments to the Criminal Code of Tajikistan, relating to crimes of an extremist and terrorist nature," said Vohidzoda.
The General Prosecutor also noted that following the release of these individuals from criminal responsibility, the number of terrorist and extremist-related crimes decreased by 314 cases, or 23.3%, compared to 2024.
How the 'like law' came and went
It should be noted that changes to Article 179 of the country’s Criminal Code, which criminalized public calls for terrorist activities and the justification of terrorism—including actions on the internet—were introduced in 2018.
"Likes," reposts, and comments on materials related to extremism and terrorism were considered as evidence of involvement in criminal activity. Under these amendments, such actions were punishable by imprisonment for a term ranging from 5 to 15 years.
For several years, the law led to the detention and imprisonment of numerous individuals under these charges. In April 2025, the First Deputy General Prosecutor, Umed Karimzoda, reported that 1,507 people were incarcerated for "liking" internet videos and posts, as well as writing "comments and remarks of a terrorist and extremist nature."
Six years after this amendment, in October 2024, President Emomali Rahmon criticized the practice of initiating criminal cases for "likes" and reposts on the internet, demanding its abolition.
Subsequently, in April of the following year, the country's parliament reviewed and approved an amendment to the Criminal Code, decriminalizing "liking" posts and videos. The law was signed by the president on May 14, 2025.
Following the law's implementation, discussions began regarding the review of previous sentences.
Tajikistan’s legislation allows for the review of sentences issued in cases involving "likes" and reposts of materials posted on social media. However, on February 12, Rustam Mirzozoda, the Chairman of the Supreme Court, reported at a press conference that in 2025, no petitions for the review of such cases had been filed in the country's courts.
