RFE/RL

@amnesty tells @RadioiOzodi: they are calling on the authorities of #Tajikistan to ensure investigations into all allegations of torture in detention and that the alleged victims of torture and their representatives are not harassed or punished for speaking out about police abuse, days ahead of  the visit by the UN special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment to Tajikistan

“We have a lot of public statements to the international community by the Tajik authorities saying they are going to take measures, concrete measures, to stop torture and ill treatment. They said this in March 2012 to the UN Human Rights Council, and so we welcome those commitments and those promises. And at the same time, we are very concerned because we get continuing reports from people who are not proven guilty, who are just suspects or who are in the wrong place at the wrong time, who are being taken into police custody, subjected to very bad torture and ill treatment.”

Amnesty International researcher for Tajikistan Rachel Bugler speaking on May 4 with RFE/RL’s Tajik Service.