Vol. 2 (2025)
Articles

Pursuing Accountability for Crimes against Humanity in Tajikistan: International Criminal Court and Germany’s National Courts

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  • Steve Swerdlow,
  • Andre Ferreira,
  • Thomas Callahan
Steve Swerdlow
University of Southern California, USA
Andre Ferreira
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Thomas Callahan
University of Southern California, USA
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/asiac-3465

Published 2025-11-10

Keywords

  • Crimes Against Humanity,
  • International Criminal Court,
  • Pamiris,
  • Tajikistan,
  • Universal Jurisdiction

How to Cite

Swerdlow, S., Ferreira, A., & Callahan, T. (2025). Pursuing Accountability for Crimes against Humanity in Tajikistan: International Criminal Court and Germany’s National Courts. ASIAC – Studies on Central Asia and the Caucasus (SCC), 2, 111–138. https://doi.org/10.36253/asiac-3465

Copyright (c) 2025 Steve Swerdlow, Andre Ferreira, Thomas Callahan

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Examining the human rights crisis currently unfolding in Tajikistan and highlighting the crimes against humanity committed against the Pamiri minority in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) between 2021 and the present by President Emomali Rahmon and senior officials, this article offers victims a roadmap for seeking accountability at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Germany’s national courts using universal jurisdiction. The article argues that Dushanbe’s abuses directed against Pamiris, which include extrajudicial killings, imprisonment, torture, enforced disappearances, and other violations meets the definition of a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute. Reviewing precedent in both venues, such as Germany’s recent prosecutions of Syrian government perpetrators of torture, the article outlines practical steps for activists and victims seeking justice. The authors argue that recent human rights victories in Germany and important ICC reforms centring victims demonstrate the potential for prosecuting perpetrators of egregious rights abuses in Tajikistan. These promising avenues for holding Tajik officials accountable require strategic litigation, witness protection, and sustained advocacy efforts.

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