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

Tajikistan's President Emomali Rakhmon has signed a law lifting criminal charges for 'liking' extremist content on social media. This change comes after more than 1,500 people were jailed for similar offenses. The government had previously enacted laws criminalizing online terrorism support, leading to long prison sentences.

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.)