Cases of Tajik writers transferred to court

The General Prosecutor’s Office of Tajikistan has completed the investigation into the high-profile case of a well-known entrepreneur and writer and has sent it to court.

According to Radio Ozodi, on January 8, 2024, the General Prosecutor’s Office of Tajikistan submitted the cases of the director of the Tajik-Iranian clinic “Ibn Sino,” writer Abduhalil Kholikzoda, and well-known writer Abdukodir Rustam to the court of Dushanbe.

It is reported that the court will make a decision on these cases next week. After that, the date of the first court hearing will be announced.

Earlier, on August 15, 2023, at a press conference, the General Prosecutor’s Office of Tajikistan announced that the author of the book “Havodisi ruzgori man” (Events of My Life) Abduhalil Kholikzoda was arrested on charges of “inciting social, racial, national, regional, and religious enmity.”

It is worth noting that last summer, three months after the publication of Abduhalil Kholikzoda’s book “Havodisi ruzgori man,” some employees of the Ministry of Culture reacted to the book, causing a stir on social media and accusing the author Abduhalil Kholikzoda and the editor of the book Abdukodir Rustam of inciting national and local enmity and discord.

Later, the Attorney General of Tajikistan, Yusuf Rahmon, became involved in the case. By his order, the author of the book Abduhalil Kholikzoda was first detained, followed by the editor of the book Abdukodir Rustam. Since then, they have been held in custody.