Against the backdrop of the murder of Kobiljon Rahmon, he received a peace prize

On December 21, five days after the brutal murder of 10-year-old Kobiljon Aliyev, the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon traveled to Russia. But not to seek justice.

Rahmon departed for the city of Saint Petersburg, Russia, to participate in an informal meeting of the leaders of the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

The informal meeting of the leaders of the CIS member states will take place on December 22. The summit has traditionally been held in Saint Petersburg since 2018. Participants will discuss issues of socio-economic development, strengthening stability, and overall security.

One day before the informal meeting of the CIS leaders, the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, the President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, and the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev were awarded the International Peace Prize named after L.N. Tolstoy.

The medals and diplomas of the award were presented to Rahmon, Japarov, and Mirziyoyev by the General Director of the Bolshoi Theatre, Artistic Director – Director of the Mariinsky Theatre Valery Gergiev, who heads the jury of the International Peace Prize named after L.N. Tolstoy. The international jury announced on September 9 the awarding of the peace prize to the three presidents “for their significant personal contribution to strengthening peace and security in Central Asia.”

It is known that during the meeting with the President of Russia, Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon did not raise the issue of the brutal terrorist attack at a school in Odintsovo, Moscow region, which resulted in the death of 10-year-old Tajikistan native Kobiljon Aliyev.

It should be noted that Emomali Rahmon’s visit to Russia, his receipt of the peace prize during these days, and his silence on the Kobiljon case have caused discontent in Tajik society. As civil society activists point out, the head of state could have broken his silence during this period and, along with thousands of Tajik expatriates, as well as residents of Central Asian countries and other states, at least expressed condolences, condemned the brutal murder of Kobiljon, committed, according to them, by a Russian nationalist, and raised this issue during his visit, discussing it with Vladimir Putin.