Tang Jing-Hua to death. The appeal argued Afghanistan had passed through Tajikistan that the court’s reference to Taiwan’s and all were resettled in third countries. In obligations under the ICCPR as a reason not September the Minister of the Interior stated to impose the death penalty in this case was that Tajikistan did not have the infrastructure a misinterpretation of that document. There to host many refugees. A further 200 Afghan was no progress towards abolition of the nationals tried to enter Tajikistan in death penalty during the year and courts September but only 100 women and children continued to impose death sentences. were admitted. RIGHT TO HEALTH 1. Taiwan: A victory! The Government of Taiwan should fulfil the consent The authorities tightly controlled the narrative rights of Indigenous people, 17 September (Chinese only) 2. Taiwan: The Taipei High Administrative Court pronounces a ground around the Covid-19 pandemic, underplaying breaking judgment on transnational same-sex marriage, 6 May its real impact, which resulted in late and less (Chinese only) effective measures to limit its spread and 3. Taiwan: The Covid-19 preventive measures should avoid protect public health. On 26 January, the discrimination on the specific ethnic groups, 10 June (Chinese only) President told parliament that there were no more Covid-19 cases in Tajikistan. Media reports alleged pressure on medical workers TAJIKISTAN not to diagnose the virus, and at least one doctor was reportedly fired after returning a Republic of Tajikistan positive test. On 21 June, the Prime Head of state: Emomali Rahmon Minister’s office announced that some cases Head of government: Kokhir Rasulzoda had been detected and blamed the public’s failure to comply with protection measures. The government’s premature claims that Compulsory vaccination of all adults was Covid-19 transmission had ended, and tight introduced, but no information was given as control over information released, to how it would be enforced. Over 4 million undermined measures to protect public vaccine doses had been administered by the health during the pandemic. Survivors of end of the year. In September, the domestic violence continued to face government announced that there had been challenges in accessing justice. Torture and 17,000 cases of Covid-19 and 124 deaths other ill-treatment remained widespread but since the start of the pandemic, but under-reported. The government unduly independent media claimed that the rates restricted freedom of expression, sentencing were much higher based on their own opposition activists and government critics reporting. to lengthy prison terms on politically VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS motivated charges. BACKGROUND Survivors of domestic violence continued to face many challenges in accessing support, On 28 April, fighting broke out on a disputed protection and justice. The 2013 law on section of the border between Tajikistan and domestic violence provides for survivors to Kyrgyzstan, triggered by a dispute between report abuse to law enforcement officers but local inhabitants on both sides over access to does not compel the relevant agencies to water. The Tajikistani authorities claimed that take appropriate steps to investigate by the time the violence ceased on 1 May, 19 complaints, issue protection orders and open people had been killed and 87 injured on the a criminal case. A new draft of the Criminal Tajikistani side. In July the government Code, containing an article specifically announced its readiness to accept 100,000 criminalizing domestic violence, was refugees from Afghanistan. In August, media discussed in parliament. It fails, however, to reported that 2,000 refugees from cover all types of violence notably Amnesty International Report 2021/22 358