Kholbashova – to life imprisonment, Mamadshoev – to 25 years

The state prosecutor demanded that Kholbash Kholbashov be sentenced to life imprisonment, and Ulfatkhanim Mamadshoeva to 25 years in prison.

Photo: Internet

According to Radio Ozodi, the trial of civil activist and journalist Ulfatkhanim Mamadshoeva and former head of the border troops in GBAO Kholbash Kholbashov is taking place behind closed doors at the detention center of the State National Security Committee of Tajikistan since August 3.

It is reported that the court was supposed to announce the verdict on August 12, however, the defendants considered the investigation to be biased and demanded a fair consideration of the criminal cases. The investigation into these criminal cases was conducted by investigators from the General Prosecutor’s Office and the State National Security Committee of Tajikistan.

The authorities accuse them of organizing riots in Khorog and the Rushan district in May of this year. They and their relatives have denied all charges and consider them politically motivated.

Upon reviewing their case, the General Prosecutor’s Office and the State National Security Committee initiated a criminal case against Ulfatkhanim Mamadshoeva under eight articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan, including Article 307, Part 2 (public calls for violent change of the constitutional order of the Republic of Tajikistan).

Kholbash Kholbashov faces charges under 11 articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan, including organizing a criminal community, organizing attacks on law enforcement officers, terrorism, and a number of other crimes.

Kholbash Kholbashov, the former head of the Border Troops of the State National Security Committee of Tajikistan in GBAO, was detained on May 18, the same day as his ex-wife, journalist and civil activist Ulfatkhanim Mamadshoeva. The authorities described Kholbashov as “one of the leaders of an organized criminal group” in the Rushan district. However, some close associates of the retired general claim that he served in the border troops of Tajikistan until his arrest.