December 3                  - The Facebook social network the website of Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service were unblocked in Tajikistan.  Internet service providers (ISPs) in Tajikistan blocked Facebook and the website of RFE/RL’s Tajik Service in late November after a request by the state-run communications service agency.

December 5                  - Tajik President Emomali Rahmon together with other leaders of countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) attended the CIS summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.  The meeting reportedly focused on the strengthening of economic and security cooperation among the 11 participating member states.

December 6                  - The European Union Delegation to Tajikistan issued a statement, in which it expresses its concern about the recent blockage of Facebook, YouTube, Radio Free Europe''s affiliate Radio Ozodi and other web-based news sites.  “Although some of the blocked websites are again accessible, the EU Delegation notes with concern that such obstructions occur frequently in Tajikistan which raises questions about the state of media freedom,” the statement said.

December 7                  - An official opening of FC Istiqlol (Dushanbe) Football Academy took place in the Almosi settlement, Hisor district.  The ceremony was attended by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.  They will operate the academy for boys from the age of twelve upwards.  To-date, 80 boys have been competitively selected.  The academy is now able to accommodate 140 boys.

December 10                - Tajikistan was officially admitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO).  At a ceremony in Geneva, WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon signed the protocol on Tajikistan''s admission to the international organization;

- Russia''s counternarcotics agency chief Viktor Ivanov said a recent operation involving police from Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Russia led to the seizure of more than 400 kilograms of narcotics.  According to him, raids were carried out in seven Afghan villages, involving some 300 Afghan policemen supported by helicopters.  Ivanov said 37 Kalashnikov machine guns, two heavy-caliber machine guns, and grenade launchers were also seized.  Ivanov said 13 "militants" were detained.

December 10-15            - A delegation of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom led by Commissioner Sam Gejdenson visited Tajikistan to discuss the state of religious freedom in the country.  Commissioner Gejdenson met with both government officials and non-government organizations involved in religious issues in Tajikistan, as well as with representatives of Tajikistan’s various religious communities. He also visited Sughd province and met with local religious leaders. 

December 11                - President Emomali Rahmon received Ms. Cihan Sultanoglu, UN Assistant Secretary-General &Director/Regional Bureau for Europe and CIS at United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).  According to the president’s official website reports, the sides discussed issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and the UN agencies, in particular UNDP;

- Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met here with Mr. Kiyoshi Kodera, Vice-President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).  According to the Tajik MFA information department, the sides discussed issues related to bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Japan.

December 12                - The Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) endorsed a new bill on the periodical press and other mass media.  Under the new law, all media outlets in Tajikistan will be registered as legal entities and public agencies will have to answer journalist inquiries within three days; 

- Tajikistan-Turkmenistan political consultations were held in the Turkmen capital Ashgabat.  According to the Tajik MFA information department, the sides discussed state and prospected of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan and exchanged views on a number of international and regional issues being of mutual interest.  They also pointed to the necessity of efficiently using potential of the Tajik-Turkmen joint commission for trade and economic cooperation.

- The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) celebrated the launch of its School Dropout Prevention Pilot Program in Khatlon province.  U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan Susan Elliot, Head of Hukumat of Danghara Saidali Mahmadullo, and Ministry of Education officials attended the event.  The launch ceremony, held at Danghara School #2, marked the official kick-off of the school-based activities of the USAID program to reduce the dropout rate of grade 9 students.   

December 15-18            - Tajik President Emomali Rahmon was on an official visit to Turkey.  During his stay in Turkey, Emomali Rahmon held talks with Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Parliament Speaker Cemal Cicek.  Rahmon’s discussions with high-ranking Turkish state officials focused on issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Turkey.  Besides, Rahmon attended the annual ceremony called “Seb-i Arus” that took place in Konya on December 17.  The ceremony was held at the ‘Mawlana Cultural Center’ to commemorate the 739th death anniversary of the great poet and Sufi mystic Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi.  President Rahmon’s to Turkey resulted in signing of a package of bilateral cooperation documents, the Tajik president’s official website reports.  

December 19                - Tajik President Emomali Rahmon attend a summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Moscow.  The CSTO member nations accepted Uzbekistan''s decision to suspend its membership.  Uzbekistan suspended its membership in the organization in June this year.  The meeting also discussed the situation in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of most international forces in 2014;

- Tajikistan''s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament passed the country''s first law specifically targeting domestic violence.  The law aims to give greater protections to women''s rights.  It sets up administrative measures to deal with domestic violence, including up to 15 days'' imprisonment and fines for offenders.  The law includes a statement that the elderly should play an active role in preventing domestic violence among young families.

December 21                - RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal reports eleven people described as illegal immigrants were shot dead in Pakistan''s Pothar area, near the Iranian border.  Unknown gunmen fired on three cars carrying the illegal immigrants to Iran.  The illegal immigrants were reportedly Pakistanis, Tajiks, and Uzbeks.

December 23                - An extraordinary congress of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan (DPT) that took place in Dushanbe.  86 delegates from all regions of the country reportedly attended the congress and Saidjaffar Ismonov, the leader of one of the DPT wings, was elected as chairman of the party.  The congress also considered a number of issues related to strategy of the party and intensification of work of the party’s primary organizations.  Officially recognized head of the DPT, Masoud Sobirov, did not attend the congress.

December 24                - Tajik Internet service providers blocked access to 131 websites, including social

networks, following an order by the state-run communications service agency.  The communications service agency reportedly gave instructions to block the sites, mainly those posting music and videos but also Russian social network sites such as “Vkontakte” and “Moy Mir.”  The Tajik version of YouTube, topvideo.tj, was also on the so-called “black” list of websites to be blocked.  A letter by the communications service agency cited “technical reasons” for blocking access to those websites;

- The trial of Dilovarsho Qosimov, an alleged murderer of president’s brother-in-law Kholmumin Safarov, began in Dushanbe.  The Hakimov brothers, Mahmadtohir and Mahmadfozil, are on the trial together with Qosimov.  Dilovarsho Qosimov is charged with murder, illegal weapon possession and polygamy.  Meanwhile, Mahmadtohir Hakimov and Mahmadfozil Hakimov face charge of not reporting the murder.  Kholmumin Safarov, 57, was found dead after being shot by unknown assailants on June 13 this year.  Police say Safarov was shot in the head, chest, and stomach. The shooting is reported to have occurred as he was returning to his home after evening prayers at a nearby mosque.

December 26                Tajik Internet service providers unblocked access to 131 website that were blocked on December 24. 

December 28                - Tajik-Iranian joint venture for producing disposable syringes with capacity of producing 120 million disposable syringes per year was launched in Dushanbe.