Famous political figures are facing decades-long imprisonment

The General Prosecutor’s Office requested sentences ranging from 23 to 30 years of imprisonment for well-known political figures suspected of attempting a coup.

So far, the authorities have not reported anything about this. Radio Ozodi, citing its sources, reported that the trial took place behind closed doors at the detention center.

The General Prosecutor’s Office requested 30 years of imprisonment for former head of the Democratic Party Saidjafar Usmonzoda and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Hamrokhon Zarifi, 24 years for Deputy Chairman of the Social Democratic Party Shokirjon Hakimov, and 23 years each for former head of the Supreme Council Akbarsho Iskandrov, former head of the information department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abdulfaiz Atoyi, and former Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Party Ahmadshokh Komilzoda. For two retired colonels of the State National Security Committee (GKNB), Nuramin Ganizoda and Jamshid Boev, the prosecutor requested 26 years of imprisonment.

No other details about the case have been reported. Neither the lawyers nor the representatives of the prosecution are communicating with the media due to the imposed confidentiality.

It is also unknown what prison term the prosecutor requested for Rukhshona Hakimova, a journalist and niece of Shokirjon Hakimov, who is also accused of “treason.”

It was previously reported that the prosecutor accused Rukhshona Hakimova of conducting a survey on China’s influence in Tajikistan, and some of the detained politicians, including Saidjafar Usmonzoda and Shokirjon Hakimov, participated in the survey.

The investigation into Rukhshona’s case continues alongside the case of the well-known politicians accused of “attempting a coup.” Rukhshona Hakimova is free on bail as she has a 5-month-old child. Law enforcement agencies confiscated her passport and other documents.

It was previously reported that on November 14, the first court hearing took place regarding the case of the chairman of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan and parliament member Saidjafar Usmonzoda, his deputy Ahmadshokh Komilzoda, lawyer and first deputy chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan Shokirjon Hakimov, former chairman of the Supreme Council of Tajikistan Akbarsho Iskandrov, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Hamrokhon Zarifi, and former employee of that ministry Abdulfaiz Atoyi, as well as two employees of the GKNB, retired colonel Nuramin Ganizoda and retired captain Jamshid Boev.

The session took place in the Dushanbe detention center behind closed doors, with neither relatives of the defendants nor journalists allowed to attend.

According to media reports, the defendants have been charged under Article 189 (incitement of national and religious hatred) and Article 306 (attempted violent seizure of power) of the Criminal Code of Tajikistan. However, at one of the sessions, two more charges appeared — Article 247 (Fraud) and Article 305 (treason) of the Criminal Code of Tajikistan.

In early June 2024, a number of high-ranking officials and politicians were detained. The first to be detained was former leader of the Democratic Party and former member of parliament Saidjafar Usmonzoda. He was detained on June 12. On June 14, at a regular session of parliament, based on the proposal of the Attorney General, Saidjafar Usmonzoda was stripped of his immunity and arrested.

Saidjafar Usmonzoda was accused of colluding with the opposition and “attempting to violently seize” power in the country using his official position.