From 14 - 15 July, the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ), with generous funding support from the European Union, convened a two-day Operational Dialogue to strengthen international judicial cooperation in terrorism-related cases involving Tajik nationals.
Held in collaboration with the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan, the workshop was delivered under the EU-funded Prosecution, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (PRR) Project. The event directly supported Tajikistan’s National Strategy and Action Plan on Countering Extremism and Terrorism (2026-2030), addressing practical challenges and operational needs related to cross-border judicial cooperation.
Tajikistan is increasingly handling terrorism-related cases involving nationals who have been investigated, detained or prosecuted abroad, creating a need for stronger and more effective channels of international judicial cooperation to advance these cases. In response, the Dialogue provided a dedicated platform for direct, case-oriented engagement among senior prosecutors, judges, investigators and judicial cooperation officials from Tajikistan, European jurisdictions, key international and regional organisations: OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and The United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), and PRR consortium partners, Hedayah and the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF).
Over two intensive days, practitioners worked together to address practical cooperation challenges and identify concrete approaches. Sessions focused on how to initiate and advance mutual legal assistance requests, obtain and use cross-border evidence in domestic proceedings, and engage effectively with the operational cooperation mechanisms of Eurojust and INTERPOL.
The Dushanbe Operational Dialogue represents a key milestone in the implementation of the IIJ's roadmap of activities under the EU-funded PRR Project in Tajikistan, which aims to strengthen the country's criminal justice response to terrorism while complementing the rehabilitation and reintegration work of consortium partners GCERF and Hedayah.
Looking ahead, the IIJ will intensify its cooperation with the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Tajikistan and other national partners to enhance the capacity of Tajikistan's criminal justice practitioners to investigate, prosecute and adjudicate complex terrorism-related cases in line with international legal standards and the priorities set out in the National Strategy and Action Plan on Countering Extremism and Terrorism (2026-2030).
Ahead of the Dialogue, the IIJ team met with Mr. Ferdinand Jenrich, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan for a bilateral discussion. The discussion highlighted the EU’s important role as a key partner in supporting judicial cooperation, strengthening the rule of law, and advancing joint efforts to address terrorism-related challenges.
Through continued engagement with national, regional and international partners, the IIJ remains committed to supporting effective cooperation and practical solutions that strengthen justice systems and enhance responses to terrorism-related threats.