HRW calls for Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to prioritize human rights in their new border agreement, aiming for justice for victims of the 2022 conflict and advocating for investigations into war crimes. The deal promises resource sharing and demilitarization while emphasizing the need for accessible services for local populations.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to prioritize human rights in the agreement addressing their ongoing border crisis. This call emphasizes the need for justice for victims of the 2022 conflict, where significant human rights violations were reported. HRW advocates for robust investigations into these alleged violations and the implementation of long-term initiatives to foster respect for human rights, while highlighting the importance of minimizing hate speech.
Hugh Williamson, HRW’s director for Europe and Central Asia, stated, “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 countries have faced accusations of war crimes during the 2022 clashes, which resulted in at least 37 civilian fatalities and widespread displacement. Past confrontations in 2021 also led to civilian casualties, raising further concerns.
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are parties to Additional Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibits the intentional targeting of civilians and indiscriminate attacks that may endanger civilian lives. A border agreement was signed on March 13, 2025, and subsequently ratified by both nations, officially reopening their 1,000 km boundary and concluding a long-standing dispute. Under this agreement, the nations committed to sharing resources, demilitarizing the border, and exchanging land parcels.
HRW stresses the importance of adhering to this agreement to ensure that local communities gain proper access to essential services such as education, water supply, and housing. In support of this development, UN Secretary-General António Guterres acknowledged the agreement as a “historic achievement.” The unclear border between the two states has been a source of conflict since their independence from the Soviet Union, particularly over agricultural resources in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan’s Batken region, culminating in violent clashes in 2021.
Human Rights Watch emphasizes the importance of integrating human rights into the recent border agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The organization calls for justice for conflict victims and accountability for war crimes, while also stressing the need for community trust and respect for human rights. The ratified deal aims to de-escalate tensions and enhance resource-sharing, but adherence to human rights standards remains crucial for sustainable peace and development in the border regions.
Original Source: www.jurist.org
