Brother of convicted lawyer sent to prison

Bakhouddin Shamsiddinov, the brother of convicted lawyer Saidnuriddin Shamsiddinov, has been sentenced to 4 years in prison.

Photo: Internet

A source familiar with the criminal case, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Azda TV that on January 13, the court of the Vakhsh district found Bakhouddin Shamsiddinov guilty under Article 307 (participation in an extremist community), Article 338 (illegal occupation of land), and Article 345 (obstruction of justice) and sentenced him to 4 years in prison.

According to the source, “the district prosecutor requested 9 years in prison, but the court sentenced him to 4 years.”

“The authorities took revenge on 31-year-old Bakhouddin. They carried out the order of the prosecutor of the Khatlon region. Rahimzoda Abdurakhim ordered Bakhouddin’s arrest. Bakhouddin fought for the release of his brother Saidnuriddin Shamsiddinov. He even complained several times to the presidential administration, the general prosecutor’s office, and other relevant authorities about the prosecutor of the Khatlon region, Rahimzoda Abdurakhim,” the source told Azda TV.

The source stated that Bakhouddin is innocent. His only goal was to free his brother, but the district prosecutor Rahimzoda Abdurakhim, fearing that his brother Saidnuriddin might be released, took revenge on him. “In his last words, he spoke little, only saying that he is innocent, that he was tortured to confess to a crime he did not commit. God is the judge for them all; he has 3 children, and their heartaches will not go unheard,” the source added.

His brother Saidnuriddin Shamsiddinov was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison in 2021. The court found him guilty of several articles of the Criminal Code of Tajikistan, including illegal land transactions, fraud, and spreading knowingly false information. At the end of that year, he was accused of collaborating with the banned “Group 24” in Tajikistan, and his sentence was extended by another eight months.