The Situation of Minorities in Tajikistan

This report is the first comprehensive survey by Minority Rights Group of the situation facing minorities in Tajikistan, following the security crackdown that commenced in 2022 against the marginalized Pamiri community in Tajikistan. Drawing on interviews and focus group discussions, it provides an in-depth look at the many challenges confronting Tajikistan’s minority communities.

The report begins by reviewing Tajikistan’s legislative framework and discussing the extent to which the country’s minorities know about their rights and the possibilities open to them to seek redress. It then focusses on the ways in which minority communities can express their identities and organize themselves in a context that is often very hostile. The following sections cover the most pertinent issues affecting minorities in Tajikistan today, including language and education rights, religious freedoms, and access to employment, public participation and healthcare. The author also focuses on the intersectional discrimination experienced by minority women.

Crucially, the report provides a nuanced and differentiated look at minority experiences in Tajikistan, where some communities face specific challenges while other minorities have their own concerns. Three standalone sections describe the realities confronted by Lyulis, Pamiris and refugees in Tajikistan. The report concludes with a set of recommendations addressed to the government of Tajikistan, international organizations, human rights advocates and researchers.