Brother of activist detained in Tajikistan

On April 14 of this year, law enforcement agencies in the Farhor district of the Khatlon region detained a resident of the area, Kurbonov Samaridin, and took him to an unknown location.

Kurbonov Samaridin is the brother of political activist Kurbonov Ilkhomdzhon. In a conversation with Azda TV, Kurbonov Ilkhomdzhon reported that on the morning of April 14, six employees of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan in the Farhor district detained his brother Kurbonov Samaridin near his home, illegally, without a summons, forcibly placed him in a car, and took him to an unknown location.

The Tajik activist stated that the officers did not explain the reason for his brother’s detention. “But it is clear that this is related to my political activities,” said Kurbonov Ilkhomdzhon.

According to him, after his brother was taken away, his relatives contacted law enforcement agencies, but there has been no news so far.

“At first, two men came and talked to my brother near his house. They asked about me. Then they offered several times to go with them to the station and write an explanation, and he would be released. At that time, a car arrived. Four men got out, beat him, forcibly placed him in the car, and took him away against his will,” reported Kurbonov Ilkhomdzhon, citing his relatives and eyewitnesses of the event.

Recently, the authorities of Tajikistan and law enforcement agencies have intensified pressure on the relatives of opposition members living outside Tajikistan. According to them, in particular, the pressure from the authorities has increased following the participation of activists in protests in Berlin that took place on March 25 against Rahmon’s trip to the USA.