Human Rights Watch urges Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to prioritize human rights in their border agreement, ensuring justice for victims of war crimes from the 2022 conflict. The organization calls for investigations into violations of rights and advocates for local access to essential services. A recent landmark treaty aims to resolve the border dispute and foster cooperation, with support from the UN Secretary-General.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called upon Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to prioritize the human rights of local populations amid their border negotiations aimed at resolving a prolonged dispute. The organization emphasized the necessity for these nations to ensure that victims of war crimes from the 2022 conflict are afforded justice.
HRW advocates for thorough investigations into alleged violations of human rights and international humanitarian law and underscores the importance of long-term strategies to foster respect for human rights, including addressing hate speech. Hugh Williamson, HRW’s Europe and Central Asia director, stated that “long-lasting peace will require rebuilding trust based on respect for human rights between border communities and reckoning with the injustices committed during past conflicts.”
Both governments have faced accusations of war crimes linked to the 2022 clashes, which resulted in the deaths of at least 37 civilians and the displacement of thousands within just four days of violence. The hostilities of 2021 also led to civilian casualties. Notably, as signatories of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, both Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are bound to prevent the deliberate killing of civilians and indiscriminate attacks.
On March 13, 2025, the leaders of both countries signed a border agreement that has since been ratified by their parliaments. This agreement aims to reopen the approximately 1,000-kilometer border and resolve the protracted dispute. Key provisions include mutual resource sharing, demilitarization of the border area, and the exchange of equal land sections. HRW has urged both nations to adhere to the agreement and ensure local communities are granted adequate access to critical resources such as education, water, and housing.
Moreover, UN Secretary-General António Guterres commended the treaty, describing it as a “historic achievement.” The border had not been officially delineated since the countries gained independence from the Soviet Union, which led to periodic tensions over essential agricultural resources, particularly in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan’s Batken region, culminating in significant violence in 2021.
In summary, Human Rights Watch has emphasized the crucial need to center human rights in the border agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The organization calls for accountability for war crimes and the establishment of long-lasting peace through mutual respect and justice. The recent treaty signed marks a significant step towards resolving long-standing disputes, fostering cooperation, and ensuring the well-being of affected communities.
Original Source: www.jurist.org
