Authorities confirmed the detention of writer Abdulkodiri Rustam

The General Prosecutor’s Office, in response to a written request from the Asia-Plus agency, confirmed that the well-known writer, researcher, and head of the human resources department at the Ibn Sino clinic, Abdukodiri Rustam, has been detained.

According to the General Prosecutor’s Office, Abdukodiri Rustam was arrested on August 31 based on Article 189, Part 2, Clause “d” (Incitement of national, racial, regional, or religious hatred) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan.

The General Prosecutor’s Office declined to provide further information, citing Article 177 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan and Article 6, Clause “d” of the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan “On the Right to Access Information.”

The General Prosecutor’s Office also emphasized that according to the requirements of Article 15 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan, “no one is considered guilty of committing a crime until the court’s verdict enters into legal force.”

65-year-old Abdukodiri Rustam previously worked at the Irfon publishing house and was also a journalist for some time. He is the author of several novels and prepared the “Complete Works” of the founder of Persian-Tajik literature, Abu Abdullah Rudaki. He worked as an editor on the text of the book “Havodisi ruzgori man” (Events of My Life) by Abduhalil Kholikzoda.

The book “Havodisi ruzgori man” was published in March of this year and caused a wide resonance in society and on social media.

The author of the book, Abduhalil Kholikzoda, was detained at the request of the General Prosecutor of Tajikistan, Yusuf Rahmon. Later, authorities reported that he was detained based on Article 189 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan. According to the authorities, they allegedly “together with several individuals in collusion incited national and local enmity and hatred.”

There have also been reports that following Kholikzoda, law enforcement agencies detained the owner of the Er-Graf publishing house, where this book was printed. However, the authorities have not yet commented on this matter.

Experts believe that the detention of writer Abdukodiri Rustam is directly related to this book.

At present, the authorities have incited representatives of the ruling party, the Union of Writers, the National Academy of Sciences, and some members of the Tajik intelligentsia against the author of the controversial book. They frequently publish materials in the media and on social networks, sharply criticizing the author.