Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05DUSHANBE2050
2005-12-19 04:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dushanbe
Cable title:  

TAJIKISTAN'S PROPOSED LAW RESTRICTS NGOS' RIGHTS AND

Tags:  PGOV PREL PHUM TI 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 002050 

SIPDIS


STATE FOR EUR/CACEN, SA
NSC FOR MERKEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN'S PROPOSED LAW RESTRICTS NGOS' RIGHTS AND
ACTIVITIES

CLASSIFIED BY: Richard Hoagland, Ambassador, Dushanbe,
Tajikistan, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 002050

SIPDIS


STATE FOR EUR/CACEN, SA
NSC FOR MERKEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN'S PROPOSED LAW RESTRICTS NGOS' RIGHTS AND
ACTIVITIES

CLASSIFIED BY: Richard Hoagland, Ambassador, Dushanbe,
Tajikistan, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (C) The Tajik government is debating a law aimed to control
NGO activities that could threaten the legal status of
international NGOs. The Embassy received a draft copy of the
Law On Public Organizations (Associations) leaked to the Soros
Foundation. The Foundation also provided the Embassy with a
legal analysis of the draft law. The law, drafted by the
Ministry of Justice and submitted to the lower Chamber of
Parliament on November 30, would replace an existing Law on
Public Associations enacted May 23, 1998. The government,
hopeful the law can be quietly passed without dissent, has
deliberately kept information about the Law from the public.


2. (C) The Soros Foundation believes the government is
convinced that international NGOs instigated CIS color
revolutions, and fears NGOs in Tajikistan will ignite a
revolution here.


3. (C) The Foundation opines the new law would "seriously
damage the democratization process of the country and formation
of civil society". The following are important changes to the
law with adverse effects on NGOs' abilities to function in
Tajikistan.

-Local NGOs will not be able to participate in elections. The
original law permitted NGOs to participate in election
campaigns, however, the new draft law eliminates this provision.
NGOs would be unable to nominate or support candidates.

-NGOs would be prohibited from using the word "political" or any
form of the word in their title.

-The Ministry of Justice would continue to have registration
authority over NGOs. The draft law, expected to be enacted in
January 2007, requires all NGOs previously registered to be
re-registered by March 2007. NGOs must submit annual and
quarterly reports to the MOJ. Many NGOs already have technical
problems with the Ministry of Justice and cite examples of
bribery and corruption.

-The government would tighten its financial control. NGOs would
have to report to the State Committee on Taxes and other tax and
financial agencies. The Foundation points out excess demand for
information, including financial activities, from the government
violates the constitutional principle of self-governance and
financial independence of public associations.

-NGO leaders and members would be liable for NGO activities. If
prosecuted they would be treated as leaders of criminal
organizations. Soros believes this addition is designed to
instill fear and obedience in leaders and members.

-The draft law does not address the legal status of
international NGOs. Technically, international NGOs only set up
branches and representational affiliations in country and their
main judicial office is outside of Tajikistan. The current law
allows judicial entities to set up NGOs in Tajikistan. However
the new law stipulates that only physical entities (persons) may
legally establish a public organization. Since judicial
entities and foreign citizens cannot set up NGOs, that leaves
little room to legalize international NGOs.

-Although it does not address the legal status of international
NGOs, it stipulates their branches and affiliates must be


accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


4. (C) COMMENT: This new draft law coincides with a similar
law initiated by Nazarbaev in Kazakhstan as well as the
restrictive NGO law introduced in Russia. Such timeliness shows
the Russian government is instructing regional governments to
control NGO activities, thereby limiting Western influence.


5. (C) No official copy of the draft law has been publicized
and there are rumors the law is still changing. As it stands
now, the law jeopardizes NGOs, their personnel and members'
security. Broad stipulations allow the government to easily
convict opposition NGO personnel. This law would scare some
NGOs away from Tajikistan or technically preclude NGOs from
operating. The draft law prohibits NGOs from carrying out their
mission and assisting in the social and economic development of
Tajikistan, particularly democracy and human rights focused
NGOs.

END COMMENT.
ARMBRUSTER


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