Today, on March 14, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon signed a law revoking criminal liability for likes and reactions on social media, as reported by the government’s press service.
The new law eliminates penalties for social media posts previously considered by the Tajik authorities to support extremism.
Prior to the introduction of the new law, likes and reposts of prohibited content could be regarded as public justification of terrorism. carrying a penalty of up to 15 years in prison.
The penalization of internet activity had long been criticized by human rights activists, who viewed it as a violation of freedom of speech. Last year, President Rahmon himself publicly condemned such unfounded criminal cases and called for this practice to be stopped.
