Famous writer Abdukodiri Rustam detained in Tajikistan

In the evening of August 31, law enforcement agencies of Tajikistan detained the famous writer Abdulkodir Rustam at his home.

This was reported by the leader of the “Vatandor” movement, Dododjon Atovulloev, on his Facebook page.

“The former journalist of the publication ‘Charogi Ruz’ is guilty only of being a colleague and friend of the owner of the ‘Ibni Sino’ clinic, Abduhalil Kholikzoda – who is behind bars!” wrote Atovulloev.

A source from Dushanbe also confirmed the information about the detention of Abdulkodir Rustam in a conversation with Azda TV, but refrained from providing details.

It was previously reported that following the owner of the capital’s ‘Ibni Sino’ clinic, Abduhalil Kholikzoda, the law enforcement agencies of Tajikistan detained the owner of the publishing company ‘Er Graf’.

On August 28, a source from Dushanbe, who wished to remain anonymous, told Azda TV that the general director of the publishing company ‘Er Graf’ was detained a day after Abduhalil Kholikzoda was arrested, the author of the controversial book ‘Havodisi Ruzgori Man’. According to the source, the book was published by this publishing house, and his detention is likely related to this.

The source reported that his relatives are not saying anything about his detention. However, according to him, the general director of the publishing company had already been summoned for questioning by law enforcement officers twice before and was released. “However, a day after Abduhalil Kholikzoda was detained, he was summoned for questioning again and since then no one has seen him at his workplace, that is, at the publishing company,” noted the source.

Attempts by Azda TV to contact the publishing house were unsuccessful. The director’s number was “unreachable.”