Tajikistan has begun the process of leaving the International Criminal Court, citing what it calls growing politicisation and bias in the court’s work.
The move comes after more than two decades of Tajikistan’s participation in the ICC and follows a dispute over the country’s failure to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit last year.
The lower house of Tajikistan’s parliament, known as the Majlisi Namoyandagon, has approved a resolution to begin the withdrawal process. The Foreign Ministry has linked the decision to what it describes as growing politicisation and bias at the court.
Tajik authorities have not provided a more detailed public explanation of the legal and political considerations behind the decision.
The move follows a dispute that began after Putin travelled to Tajikistan in October 2025 for a state visit. He met President Emomali Rahmon and took part in meetings of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Central Asia-Russia format.
At the time, Putin was already subject to an arrest warrant issued by the ICC in March 2023 over alleged war crimes linked to the deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia.
Tajikistan was a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, and was expected to cooperate with the court. However, Putin was officially received in Dushanbe and left the country without being arrested.
The ICC subsequently asked Tajikistan to explain its decision. On 5 November 2025, the court’s Pre-Trial Chamber requested further submissions from Dushanbe over its failure to arrest and surrender Putin.
Tajik authorities referred to Russia’s status as a non-party to the Rome Statute and to bilateral agreements with Moscow that, according to Dushanbe, provide immunity for senior officials. The Tajik government also said it did not consider its position a refusal to cooperate with the ICC.
The dispute continued into 2026. On 19 March, ICC Pre-Trial Chamber II found that Tajikistan had failed to comply with its obligations under the Rome Statute by not executing the court’s request to arrest and surrender Putin while he was in the country. The matter was subsequently referred to the Assembly of States Parties.
Tajikistan has been part of the ICC system for more than two decades. It signed the Rome Statute in 1998 and ratified it on 5 May 2000, with the statute entering into force for the country on 1 July 2002. The ICC is a permanent international court dealing with genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
Tajikistan is the only Central Asian country to have ratified the Rome Statute. Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have signed the treaty but have not ratified it, while Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan have not signed it.
Tajikistan has begun the process of leaving the International Criminal Court, citing what it calls growing politicisation and bias in the court&rsq...
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