Izat Amon will be released

Some Tajik lawyers believe that Izzat Amon will be granted amnesty in accordance with the Amnesty Law and will be released.

Photo: Internet

Shukhrat Kudratov, a Tajik lawyer, told Azda TV: “Individuals convicted of imprisonment under Article 247, Part 3 and Part 4, or against whom a criminal case has been initiated under this article, will be released after compensating the full amount of material damage, or the criminal case against them will be terminated.”

According to the Tajik lawyer, “if they are unable to compensate for the damage, they will be granted amnesty, but those who received a prison sentence will have their sentence reduced by one third.”

Media reports have also emerged stating that after the plaintiffs were reimbursed the full amount, Izzat Amon will be included in the list of those to be granted amnesty.

His relatives and friends told the media that they do not agree with all the accusations against Izzat Amon, but for the sake of his release, they paid the full amount. Izzat Amon’s debt to the plaintiffs amounted to 1 million 90 thousand Russian rubles and 1000 US dollars.

Earlier, the secretary of the court in Dushanbe informed Radio Ozodi that the court hearing in the case of Izzat Amon concluded on September 22 and the case against him was terminated.

Yesterday, the news agency “Bomdod” also published a new photograph of Izzat Amon, which reportedly was taken on September 22 in the Dushanbe court building. This is the first photo of 48-year-old Izzat Amon since his detention.

The new amnesty law came into effect on September 10 of this year. Article 247, Part 4 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan “Fraud in a particularly large amount,” under which a case was initiated against Izzat Amon, is included in the amnesty law.

Izzat Amon, head of the Tajik Center in Moscow, disappeared from Russia on March 25, but Tajik authorities later stated that Russia deported the human rights defender. A criminal case had previously been initiated against him in Tajikistan on charges of fraud, and he was detained immediately after landing at Dushanbe airport.

The detention of Izzat Amon in Tajikistan sparked negative reactions from labor migrants, civil society activists, and social media users, with many calling for his release, but authorities stated that Izzat Amon was detained on charges of fraud based on citizens’ complaints.