DUSHANBE, March 9, 2013, Asia-Plus -- Human Rights Dialogue between Tajikistan and the European Union took place for the fifth time in Dushanbe on March 6, press release issued by the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan said.

The dialogue was held in a friendly atmosphere, with an exchange on a wide range of issues of mutual interest or concern, as well as discussions on possibilities for concrete cooperation in the field of human rights.

The Tajik delegation was headed by Mr. Muzaffar Ashourov, Head of Department for Constitutional Guarantees for Citizens'' Right and included representatives from the President''s Executive Office and from various relevant line Ministries, State agencies as well as the Judiciary.

The EU delegation was headed by Ms Elisabeth Tison, Head of Human Rights Policy Unit at the European External Action Service and included Mr. Eduard Auer, Head of EU Delegation to Tajikistan, Ms Audrone Perkauskiene, Human Rights officer of the European External Action Service, Ms Shafiqa Mumin, Political Advisor for the EU Special Representative for Central Asia and Mr. Frederik Coene, Desk Officer of the European External Action Service.

As a follow-up to the previous round of the Human Rights Dialogue the Tajik side informed about the latest developments in the field of children''s rights. As a follow-up to the last year''s Civil Society Seminar''s recommendations the Tajik delegation gave an update on the rights of labor migrants and freedom of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment.  The parties discussed freedom of expression, freedom of media, freedom of religion, freedom of association, women''s rights, the issue of democratic elections, cooperation in international organizations in the field of human rights as well as EU-Tajikistan cooperation projects concerning human rights.

The EU delegation also met representatives of the civil society and international organizations active in Tajikistan in the field of human rights.

The parties proposed holding the next EU-Tajikistan Human Rights Dialogue meeting in 2014.