Austrian Court Denies Extradition of Shavkat Muhammad and Two Family Members to Tajikistan

The Vienna Regional Criminal Court in Austria has rejected a request from Tajik authorities to extradite Shavkat Muhammad (Shavkatjon Sharifov), a member of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), along with his mother Sharofat Sharipova and his brother Bilolidin Sharifov.

The court’s decision was published on August 5 of this year. According to opposition representatives, the court deemed the request from Tajikistan unlawful and denied the extradition of all three individuals.

In April of this year, the Tajik Ministry of Internal Affairs sent a request to the Austrian authorities asking for the detention and extradition of 18 Tajik citizens, who, according to Dushanbe, are members of opposition parties. Among them were Shavkat Muhammad, his mother, and brother.

The authorities have accused Shavkat Muhammad and his relatives of extremism. However, they deny the charges and believe their case is politically motivated.

Shavkat Muhammad is an official representative of the opposition coalition National Alliance of Tajikistan and has been living outside the country for over ten years. He is active on social media and is a vocal critic of the Tajik government’s policies.

Previously, the organization “Youth of Tajikistan for Revival” also reported that Tajik authorities requested the extradition of 18 Tajik citizens, whom Dushanbe claims are linked to opposition groups.

This is not the first time that Austrian judicial authorities have rejected similar requests. Earlier, a Vienna court also denied the extradition of three Tajik citizens, including a member of the political movement “Group 24.”