In Tajikistan, veteran of the PIVT Donaiyor Nabiyev has passed away

Donaёr Nabiyev, known as “Boboi Dona” (Grandfather Dona), a veteran of the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan passed away on the evening of August 27 this year at the age of 89.

Mahmadi Teshayev, an activist of the IRPT, confirmed the information about his death in a conversation with  Azda TV.

“Boboi Dona (Grandfather Dona) passed away on August 27, around 16:00 local time at his home in the village of Gulbutta in the Chimteppa rural community of the Rudaki district. On August 28 at 10:00, his funeral prayer – janaza – was held here,” he reported.

According to Teshayev, recently, after “Boboi Dona” was released from prison, he suffered from tuberculosis and kidney disease.

Donaёr Nabiyev was detained by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan on August 27, 2020. He was accused of extremism and “providing material support” to relatives of political prisoners. The court proceedings lasted 4 months. On December 28, the court of the Ismoili Somoni district of Dushanbe sentenced the elderly former IRPT member to seven years in prison. He was found guilty of “distributing extremist literature” and assisting in “recruiting youth into jihadist groups.” The IRPT stated in its announcement that all accusations against the elderly man were fabricated and politically motivated.

These accusations sparked a wave of criticism against the Tajik authorities. However, neither the investigative bodies nor the court named a specific country or presented any facts or evidence, and, worst of all, the trial of Boboi Dona was held behind closed doors.

The human rights organization Human Rights Watch expressed concern about the health condition of the convicted  Donaёr Nabiyev and called on the Tajik authorities to release him immediately.

After numerous efforts by human rights organizations and civil society activists, the authorities were forced to release the elderly Donaёr Nabiyev. This former member of the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan, who was sentenced to 7 years in prison, was freed after 4 months of detention.

At that time, a relative of Donaёr Nabiyev reported that part of his sentence was reduced in accordance with the amnesty law, and the court took into account his advanced age and illness and released him from prison.

Donaёr Nabiyev is one of the veterans of the IRPT, and before the party was banned, he was the head of the party’s verification commission in the Rudaki district.