53rd Universal Periodic Review of human rights: UK Statement Tajikistan
UK Statement at Tajikistan's Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Thank you Vice President,
The United Kingdom welcomes Tajikistan’s recent adoption of legislation aimed at promoting equality, and reducing discrimination and violence, including the recent ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We urge the relevant authorities in Tajikistan to take steps to fully implement the legislation and protect the human rights of women, children, the LGBT community, and religious and minority groups.
We recommend Tajikistan:
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Criminalises all forms of domestic and intimate partner violence and amend the Family Code to prohibit all forms of child marriage without exception.
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Ensures all media outlets and journalists can operate freely, both online and offline through legal protections and bring their Criminal Code in line with Article 19 and 20 of the ICCPR, including by incorporating precise definitions of crimes relating to extremism, terrorism and national security to ensure that peaceful expressions of dissent and exercising media freedom are not punished.
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Ratifies the Optional Protocol to the convention against torture and establishes an independent national preventative mechanism.
Thank you.