21 person detained in the case of embezzlement of state funds at Dushanbe airport

The Agency for State Financial Control and the Fight Against Corruption of the Republic of Tajikistan reported the detention of 21 individuals in 2025. They are accused of embezzling state funds at Dushanbe International Airport.

This was stated by the director of the Anti-Corruption Agency, Sultonzada Sulaymon Said, at a press conference on February 13. He named only one of the detainees — the head of Dushanbe International Airport, Ismatullo Abdullozoda.

According to Sultonzada, out of the 21 officials against whom criminal cases were initiated for the misappropriation of state property, materials for 20 cases have been sent to court. However, the case of the former director of Dushanbe International Airport, Ismatullo Abdullozoda, who is suspected of embezzling over 1 billion somoni, has not been submitted to court.

The head of the anti-corruption agency explained that Abdullozoda had registered a significant portion of the embezzled funds in the names of his children and relatives.

Currently, Abdullozoda is at liberty, and a preventive measure in the form of a written pledge not to leave has been chosen to allow him to compensate for the damage.

According to the agency, Abdullozoda is accused of embezzling 961 million somoni (over 100 million dollars), of which only 94.3 million somoni (about 10 million dollars) have been recovered.

Additionally, earlier on February 12 of this year, the Chairman of the Supreme Court of Tajikistan, Mirzozoda Rustam, reported that 14 individuals involved in the embezzlement case at Dushanbe International Airport were released after paying 217 million somoni (about 23 million dollars).

Sultonzada also reported that in 2025, as a result of 467 inspections within the framework of monitoring the execution of the state budget, “embezzlements of state funds amounting to 924.4 million somoni were identified. Taking into account the compensation for damages from the previous year, a total of 951.2 million somoni has been returned, of which 704.4 million went to the state budget and 246.8 million to state enterprises and institutions.”

Furthermore, the agency’s director reported the detention of employees from various state bodies, most of whom are accused of embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, and falsifications. In particular, according to the agency, around 50 crimes were recorded in the company “Barki Tojik” and distribution networks in 2025, with 33 employees detained in connection with these cases.

The data from the Agency for State Financial Control and the Fight Against Corruption indicate a rise in corruption in the country.

Previously, the international organization Transparency International published the Corruption Perceptions Index for 2025, where Tajikistan scored 19 points out of 100, ranking 166th among 182 countries worldwide.

The Anti-Corruption Agency reacted to this rating, calling it an “incorrect and unrealistic assessment.” The director of the Anti-Corruption Department of the Agency stated that Transparency International, when preparing the Corruption Perceptions Index, thoroughly researched neighboring countries but did not fully analyze the situation in Tajikistan.

Experts note that corruption in the country has taken on a systemic nature. On one hand, low salaries and difficult working conditions push many officials towards illegal actions; on the other hand, weak oversight and the involvement of law enforcement agencies, including the anti-corruption agency, in corrupt schemes lead to an increase in the embezzlement of state funds and corruption.