Khatlon weekly, citing the Bokhtar Administration, says closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be installed in Bokhtar, the capital of Khatlon’s province, as part of the Safe City project. 

Khatlon reports that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation with development partners on implementation of the project have been signed and 9 million US dollars (USD) will be spent on the installation of CCTV cameras.  

The project reportedly provides for traffic control, video surveillance, installation of video equipment on police cars and other security measures in Bokhtar.  

The installation of CCTV cameras will start within the next few days.  900 security cameras are expected to be installed across the city to monitor movement at crossroads, streets and squares.   

The Ministry of Finance of Tajikistan and China’s Export-Import Bank (China Exim Bank) signed a loan agreement on implementation of the Safe City Project in Beijing on May 20, 2013.  The Safe City Project provided for installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras across Dushanbe for round-the-clock monitoring of movement at all important locations such as crossroads, streets and squares.

China’s Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd has installed the CCTV cameras in Dushanbe.

The first phase of the project resulted in the installation of over 800 security cameras across the city. 

22 million US dollars (USD) were spent for implementation of this project in Dushanbe, including a 20.9 million USD loan from China’s Exim Bank.  The loan is repayable within twenty years due to fines that are paid by traffic offenders.

The CCTV cameras monitor the streets to prevent traffic violations and the number of traffic accidents has reportedly reduced in Dushanbe by 50 percent due to installation of these cameras. 

The second phase enhances surveillance capabilities in Dushanbe and expands the project to other Tajik urban centers.

Meanwhile, the Washington-based think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), says Huawei’s “Safe City” products have fueled concerns that China is “exporting authoritarianism.”  Among the “solutions” Huawei sells globally under this label are facial and license-plate recognition, social media monitoring, and other surveillance capabilities.