CPJ calls on the authorities of Tajikistan to release Akhmad Ibrohim

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on January 13 in its statement for the immediate and unconditional release of Adham Ibrohim and seven other convicted journalists.

The CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator condemned the sentence against the editor-in-chief of the weekly “Paik,” journalist Adham Ibrohim.

“As the authorities of Tajikistan have virtually destroyed independent press over the past decade, the harsh sentence handed down to Adham Ibrohim shows what they are willing to do to eradicate critical reporting,” said Gulnoza Said.

The statement noted that the weekly “Paik,” the only independent publication in the Khatlon region of southern Tajikistan, had previously complained about pressure from local authorities in retaliation for critical reporting.

“The authorities of Tajikistan must immediately release Ibrohim and the other seven journalists serving long sentences on retaliatory charges, and reform the repressive media environment in the country.”

On January 10, the court in the city of Kulyab sentenced Adham Ibrohim to 10 years in prison on charges of “bribing an employee of the State Committee for National Security,” extortion, and extremism.

On January 9, a letter from journalist Adham Ibrohim to Rustam Emomali was published. In his letter, the journalist rejected all the charges against him and emphasized that he had never bribed anyone, extorted money, or been an extremist; on the contrary, he had fought against extremism for the past 22 years.

However, the court found him guilty on all counts and sentenced the 63-year-old journalist to 10 years of imprisonment. Neither the journalist nor his family and friends agree with the verdict and consider it excessively harsh.