Summary
In 1998, Tajikistan became one of the first states to formally recognize ecocide in its national law by including provisions in its Criminal Code addressing severe environmental destruction. The Tajikistani Criminal Code defines ecocide as the deliberate or grossly negligent actions that cause large-scale damage to ecosystems, natural resources, or the environment, resulting in significant harm to human health, livelihoods, or the country’s ecological stability. The law was enacted in response to the legacy of Soviet-era industrial projects, extensive mining, and deforestation, which had caused widespread soil erosion, water pollution, and loss of arable land.
Tajikistan’s legislation set an early precedent for national-level ecocide laws, and while rarely enforced in the decades following its adoption, the law has been cited in discussions on international and regional efforts to formalize ecocide as a criminal offense.
Related Initiatives
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2025. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor.https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/tajikistan-criminal-code-1998-ecocide/.
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