OSCE Office supports human rights conference in Tajikistan

OSCE, Dushanbe, 10 Dec 2008 – The establishment of a Tajik human rights ombudsman institution, the implementation of international obligations on human rights, access to justice and the reform of the country’s Criminal Procedure Code were discussed at an OSCE-supported conference in Dushanbe today.

The event “Tajikistan and the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”, was organized together with Government of Tajikistan, UNDP, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Swedish Government. It brought together some 70 participants from government institutions, civil society, international agencies and the diplomatic corps. 

“Tajikistan’s OSCE commitments complement and reiterate the Articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which Tajikistan ratified soon after its independence,” said Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, the Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

“Although Tajikistan faces certain challenges when it comes to human rights, we are hopeful that with a co-operative spirit, the government, civil society and the people of this great country will build a society based on UN human rights principles and OSCE human dimension commitments.”

The declaration is non-binding, but provides moral obligations for governments to respect the fundamental rights of its people and those living on its territory.

In 2009, Tajikistan is expected to form an Institution of the Human Rights Ombudsman.

The government is also expected, with close consultation with the human rights and legal civil society of Tajikistan, to reform its outdated Criminal Procedure Code.

Tajik civil society members and representatives of international organizations are hopeful that in 2009 the authorities will sign an agreement with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), allowing full and unhindered access to Tajikistan’s prisons, prisoners and places of detention, a standard which is practised in many countries.

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