Colleagues of Izzat Amon face detention and deportation from Russia

Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan intend to detain Tajik human rights defender Shukhrat Kudratov, Kadam Ismatov, and several colleagues, Izzat Amon, and bring them to Tajikistan.

Photo: Internet

Tajik human rights defender Shukhrat Kudratov, residing in Russia, reported that “a group of employees from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan, currently in Moscow, is negotiating with the Russian authorities regarding this matter.”

Shukhrat Kudratov told Radio Ozodi that he learned about the arrival of the group of Ministry of Internal Affairs employees in Moscow from several sources close to the ministry, particularly from the Department for Combating Organized Crime (UBOB). “I was informed that the threat of being detained hangs over not only me but also Sukhrab Dzhakhon, Bakhtovar Dzhumaev, and Muhammadkhon Egamov,” noted Kudratov.

A representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan denied this information but simultaneously noted that the human rights defender is suspected of collaborating with the banned National Alliance, which unites opposition groups in Europe.

Shukhrat Kudratov himself stated that he has no connection to the National Alliance and does not understand where the accusation of collaboration with it came from.

On November 8, Russian law enforcement agencies in Moscow detained Muhammadkhon Egamov, one of the closest associates of Izzat Amon, and he may be deported to Tajikistan. Russian authorities have not yet commented on his detention; however, his relatives and friends believe that the real reason for his detention is his collaboration with Izzat Amon.

Media reports also indicated that Russian authorities revoked the Russian citizenship of social media activist Kadam Ismatov.

According to Kadam Ismatov himself, Russian authorities stripped him of his citizenship on September 22, but notified him by mail only three days ago.

It was previously reported that the Kirov District Court of Saratov on August 20, 2020, refused to satisfy the request of the Main Directorate of Internal Affairs of the Saratov Region to revoke the Russian citizenship of Tajikistan native and online activist Kadam Ismatov. Shukhrat Kudratov acted as Kadam Ismatov’s lawyer in that court.