EUROPEAN UNION

OSCE Permanent Council Nr 923

Vienna, 6 September 2012

The European Union recalls its statement of 26 July about tensions in the Gorno-Badakshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan.

We remain concerned about the situation and urge the Tajik authorities to allow early access to the region for international organizations and diplomatic missions. Given its mandate for early warning and conflict prevention and its broad field presence in Tajikistan, the OSCE could play an important role in assisting the Tajik authorities.

We call on the Tajik authorities to ensure transparent investigations into the recent killings of the Head of the Gorno-Badakshan branch of the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan, Mr Sabzali Mamadrizoev and the former field commander of the United Tajik Opposition, Mr Imumnazar Imumnazarov. We call for due legal process to be followed in any trials of those detained as a result of recent events.

A number of websites in Tajikistan remain blocked. We recall the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media’s statement of 27 July when she noted that “blocking is a restriction on free media and, most importantly, deprives citizens of their right to know, to receive and impart information about developments in their own country”. The EU calls on the Tajik authorities to lift these restrictions to allay any misunderstandings that inevitably emerge when access to information is restricted.

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