Pro-Government Activist Arrested on Charges of 931 Counts of Fraud

A social media activist and staunch pro-government figure, Oyatullo Gilyaev, known for his sharp criticism of opposition representatives, has been arrested on fraud charges.

According to a video report from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan on August 26, 38-year-old Oyatullo Gilyaev was detained in Saudi Arabia and brought back to Tajikistan. A criminal case has been initiated against him for committing fraud in particularly large amounts (Part 4 of Article 247 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan).

The Ministry of Internal Affairs reports that Gilyaev, while conducting religious sermons and discussions using verses from the Quran and hadiths, gained the trust of citizens intending to undertake a minor pilgrimage—Umrah. Together with accomplices, he posed as an employee of a company in Saudi Arabia and collected money from citizens for organizing the pilgrimage.

Gilyaev is accused of 931 counts of fraud, with the total damage estimated by the Ministry at 4 million somoni (approximately $433,000).

According to the Ministry’s report, one of the affected citizens claims that Gilyaev presented himself as an employee of the Council of Ulema of Tajikistan and received a total of $23,000 for organizing a minor pilgrimage for a group of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. Authorities or the Council of Ulema of Tajikistan have not yet commented on this information.

In a widely circulated video from the Ministry, Gilyaev stated that he owed money to residents and certain individuals he had collaborated with, including ticket sellers, and used the money received from clients to pay off his debts. The Ministry urged citizens affected by Gilyaev’s activities to contact the police.

As early as 2025, Azda.tv reported that some social media users accused Gilyaev of taking money for organizing minor pilgrimages—Umrah—and failing to fulfill his promises. At that time, these accusations from residents did not receive confirmation from law enforcement agencies in Tajikistan.

Regarding his membership in political organizations, Gilyaev is mentioned in the Ministry’s report as a former member of “Group 24.” The report emphasizes that he engaged in “propaganda activities” against peaceful society and the government, and eight years ago he repented, returned to his homeland, and was pardoned. However, it appears that he subsequently began deceiving residents.

Evidently, his activity within the opposition was short-lived. Gilyaev himself stated in January 2016 in an interview with Radio Ozodi that he was a member of “Group 24” for only two months and had participated in an opposition meeting in Novosibirsk just once.

In late 2014, at the request of the Tajik authorities, he was detained in Russia, and a year later he was released. At that time, Gilyaev was accused in Tajikistan of “public calls for violent change of the constitutional order.”

In 2018, he returned to his homeland and, according to law enforcement, was exempted from criminal liability. After his return, Gilyaev’s views changed significantly: he began to sharply criticize opposition representatives on social media and express support for the government of Tajikistan, as well as participate in numerous online discussions with opposition figures, often engaging in heated arguments. In some cases, he used harsh and offensive language towards the opposition.