Tajikistan Amends Law on Social Media 'Likes' in Shift Against Extremism Laws

In a significant legal development, Tajikistan's President Emomali Rakhmon approved a new law removing criminal penalties for social media 'likes' on posts deemed extremist. The president's press service confirmed the legislative shift on Wednesday.

More than 1,500 individuals had previously been imprisoned in Tajikistan for engaging with online content that the authorities classified as extremist, including support for opposition figures. The Central Asian nation, which is bordered by Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China, has been coping with rising security issues, amid a surge in militant attacks by groups such as Islamic State.

President Rakhmon, in power since 1994, publicly criticized the harsh prosecutions last year, urging an end to such practices. This legislative change marks a departure from amendments passed in 2018 that punished the online endorsement of terrorism with up to 15 years in prison.

(With inputs from agencies.)