Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Tajikistan face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents.

Those who tested positive were charged with “putting another person at risk of infection with human immunodeficiency virus” (Article 125, part 1 of the Criminal Code) or made to pay large bribes to the police in exchange for being released.

IPHR has documented dozens of credible cases of police arbitrarily detaining LGBT people and of extorting money from them.

Under Tajik law, transgender people may not change their legal gender on their passport, even if they provide a medical statement that they have undergone sex reassignment surgery.

In addition, he condemned countries that have legalized same-sex marriages, and spoke out against human rights activists and laws to protect LGBT people from discrimination.