Chonibek Chorshanbiyev sentenced to 10 years

Pamir activist Chonibek Chorshanbiyev, sentenced to 10 years in prison, has been transferred to a strict regime colony in Khujand.

Photo: Internet

Tajik journalist Anora Sarkorova, citing her sources, reports that the trial of Chonibek took place behind closed doors, and he was even provided access to a lawyer.

It is reported that Chorshanbiyev’s confessions were obtained under torture. It is still unknown what charges have been brought against the native of Badakhshan. Earlier, it was reported that he was expelled from Russia to Tajikistan, as a criminal case was opened against Chonibek under Article 307 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan (“public calls for violent change of the constitutional order of the Republic of Tajikistan”).

The 37-year-old activist was detained by Russian law enforcement agencies on June 9, 2022, at the request of the Tajik side.

Despite the obvious political motivation behind the criminal case and Chorshanbiyev’s absolute innocence, he was handed over to Tajik authorities and forcibly extradited to Tajikistan, of which his relatives were not informed.

For almost two weeks, Chorshanbiyev’s family searched for him in law enforcement agencies in Dushanbe until they learned that he was being held in the temporary detention facility “Guliston” in the capital.

Chonibek Chorshanbiyev was one of those who participated in recording the first video appeal of the natives of Badakhshan to the authorities of Tajikistan in Russia.

According to Sarkorova, a source in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan confirmed anonymously that Chonibek Chorshanbiyev was subjected to brutal torture, including electric shock torture.

Chonibek Chorshanbiyev participated in recording the first video appeal of the natives of Badakhshan to the authorities of Tajikistan in Russia.