Hundreds of people in Tajikistan who faced criminal charges for posting “likes” have been acquitted.

Habibullo Vohidzoda, the country’s prosecutor general, told a press conference – as reported by Asia-Plus – that the move applied to 405 individuals who faced prosecution for "liking" or reposting content on social media seen by officials as hateful or extremist in nature.

They were released from criminal liability following the issuing of a directive from President Emomali Rahmon.

He has requested that prosecutors refrain from initiating criminal cases related to social media "liking", commenting and reacting to content deemed hateful or extremist.

In October 2024, he made it known that he saw such prosecutions as pointless, saying: “This [type of] action must be stopped.”

Last April, Umed Karimzoda, Tajikistan’s first deputy prosecutor general, revealed that 1,507 citizens were in prison for “liking” online videos and reports and writing “comments and opinions containing terrorist and extremist content”.

Vohidzoda was further reported as saying that since the 405 accused were released from criminal liability, the number of crimes of a terrorist and extremist nature had fallen by 314, or 23.3%, year on year.