Tajik Youth for the Revival of Tajikistan strongly condemns the brutal and tragic killing of Kobiljon Aliev, a ten-year-old child of Tajik origin, who lost his life as a result of an attack motivated by explicit racial hatred within an educational institution in the Moscow Region of the Russian Federation. This incident cannot be viewed as an isolated criminal act; rather, it represents a manifestation of a deep moral and political crisis in an environment where ethnic hatred, anti-migrant hostility, and radical nationalism have been allowed to develop with impunity for many years.
The killing of a child inside a school clearly demonstrates the extent to which tolerance toward racism and violence has become dangerously entrenched. When groups and informal networks operating under the guise of “national identity” are permitted to openly promote hatred and incite violence, such tragedies become inevitable. Crimes of this nature are a direct consequence of institutional failure and insufficient accountability on the part of bodies responsible for ensuring public safety, particularly the safety of children.
The organization also expresses serious concern regarding the weak and inadequate response of the authorities of the Republic of Tajikistan. Diplomatic statements and expressions of sympathy cannot be considered an adequate response to the killing of a child. The state has an obligation to demand genuine and effective protection for its citizens, to ensure rigorous oversight of the investigation, and to prevent the devaluation of the lives of Tajik nationals living and working abroad. Silence or excessive restraint in the face of such crimes undermines the very principles of justice and responsibility.
At the same time, our criticism is directed at state policies and extremist manifestations, not at the population of the Russian Federation as a whole. We call upon civil society actors, academic communities, and all conscientious citizens of Russia to take a clear and public stand against racism, violence, and ideologies of hatred. Indifference to the killing of children only deepens the risks faced by society at large.
Kobiljon Aliev is not merely a name; he has become a symbol of injustice capable of producing further victims. If racism and anti-migrant hostility continue to go unpunished, similar tragedies will inevitably recur. A transparent investigation, fair accountability, and systematic efforts to eradicate ideologies of hatred are the only sustainable means of preventing such crimes. The lives of children are not a matter of political compromise, but a fundamental issue of humanity.
Respectfully,
Tajik Youth for the Revival of Tajikistan
London, United Kingdom
