Former Chairman of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan Arrested

Saidjafar Usmonzoda, a member of parliament and former chairman of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan, has been arrested at the request of the General Prosecutor’s Office.

On June 14, the national information agency “Khovar,” citing a statement from the lower house of the Tajik parliament, published information that the General Prosecutor’s Office accuses Usmonzoda of collaborating with the leaders of the banned “National Alliance of Tajikistan” – an organization that unites opposition parties and movements abroad, as well as of conspiracy with opposition leaders to seize state power in Tajikistan.

Prosecutor General Yusuf Rahmon stated at a recent session of the lower house of parliament that the investigation has established that Saidjafar Usmonzoda held negotiations in September 2021 with one of the leaders of the National Alliance of Tajikistan, Sharofiddin Gadoyev, who promised Usmonzoda financial assistance in achieving his goals. The deputies approved the prosecutor general’s request to lift Saidjafar Usmonzoda’s parliamentary immunity. The opinion of Saidjafar Usmonzoda and his relatives regarding the charges is currently unknown. There is no information on whether he has been provided with a lawyer.

Saidjafar Usmonzoda was one of the few members of parliament who was open with the media and, in particular, participated in programs of Radio Ozodi. His arrest comes against the backdrop of a scandalous extraordinary congress of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan, which was organized by his deputies on May 11, during which Saidjafar Usmonzoda was removed from the position of party chairman due to “unsatisfactory performance,” raising many questions.

On May 31, the Ministry of Justice of Tajikistan deemed the scandalous congress of the Democratic Party legitimate and recognized Shahboz Abror as its leader. However, Usmonzoda stated to the media on June 6 that he is still the legitimate chairman of the Democratic Party and that on that day, June 6, he and his supporters held a meeting of the party’s Political Council. At that meeting, Usmonzoda announced that Akhmadshoh Komilzoda was removed from the position of deputy chairman of the Democratic Party, and the extraordinary congress held on May 11 was declared illegal. In this regard, Saidjafar Usmonzoda appealed to the Ministry of Justice and called for the cancellation of its decision to recognize Shahboz Abror as the head of the Democratic Party.