Law enforcement agencies are mass detaining relatives of opposition members

Shokhrajab Shokhimi, one of the leaders of the National Alliance of Tajikistan in Poland, wrote on his Facebook page:

“On September 30, 2023, my parents and sister were summoned to the GKNB office in the city of Pendzhikent, they called me from their phone, and they cursed, insulted, and threatened me.”

In a conversation with Azda TV, Shokhimi reported that GKNB officers in Pendzhikent summoned his parents and two of his sisters, although they are married and live separately, and also detained them. He stated that his relatives were detained on the morning of September 30 and have not yet been released.

“The GKNB officers called me from my sister’s phone and severely insulted me. They asked why I participated in demonstrations in Germany and threatened me, said that I am a traitor, that they will destroy all my relatives, arrest me and bring me to Tajikistan. They are forcing my parents to pressure me to stop my activities and return to my homeland,” Shokhimi said in a conversation with Azda TV.

Abduhalil Vosiyev, brother of imprisoned “Group 24” member Abdurakhim Vosiyev, also told Azda TV that earlier GKNB officers in the Kubodiyon district detained his mother, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law and brought them to the GKNB office in the district, and nothing is still known about their fate.

The political movement “Group 24” reported on its Facebook page that the relatives of its members are facing detentions and persecution.

“The 81-year-old father of the leader of the Executive Body of “Group 24” Dilshod Sharirov, as well as two of his brothers-in-law, were detained by the security forces of Rahmon in the Hamadoni district and taken to the police department in the city of Kulyab, and since then there has been no information about them! Two of his sisters and two brothers were detained by the police in the city of Dushanbe. His sister was released after four hours of interrogation and pressure, however, it is not known where and under what conditions the brothers of Dilshod Sharirov are being held,” the statement from “Group 24” noted.

“Group 24” also reports that law enforcement officers in the Khovalingsky district of the Khatlon region detained and took away family members and relatives of Ismoil Makhmadov, a member of this movement and a person who “participated in throwing eggs at Rahmon’s car and fighting with his bodyguard.”

Jamshid Sharifov, a member of this group, also reported that his brother and two uncles were detained by the GKNB officers in the city of Bokhtar (formerly Kurgan-Tyube) at two o’clock in the morning.

The political movement “Group 24” previously reported the detention of six family members of Muhammadrajab Saidaliyev, including his mother, older sister, younger brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews. Saidaliyev’s relatives were detained at their residence, that is, in the Jalaluddin Rumi area, and taken to Dushanbe.

The law enforcement agencies of Tajikistan detained and brought to the Sixth Department (UBOP) of the cities of Kulob and Dushanbe the parents, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law of Muhammadjon Abdulloev, the father of Yusuf Mirzoev, and two brothers of Goibov Zafar. All of the above are members and activists of “Group 24”.

Officers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs approached the relatives of another member of “Group 24,” Khursand Najmuddinov, showed them a photograph of one of the participants in the demonstrations in Berlin, pressured them, and demanded that they confirm that the young man in the photo is their son. This is despite the fact that Khursand did not participate in the demonstrations.

Earlier, a member of this political movement, Bekhruz Tagoyzoda, reported to Azda TV about the detention of his father.

The authorities of Tajikistan have not yet officially explained these mass detentions. However, opposition activists claim that Rahmon wants to “take revenge” on their relatives, as he has never been attacked by the opposition during his foreign visits, unlike during his visit to Germany.

The political movement “Group 24” in its statement on its Facebook page on September 30 threatened the authorities of Tajikistan that if they do not stop the detentions and torture of the relatives of the movement’s members, “they will move to plan ‘C’.”

This political movement did not explain its plan “C,” but threatened: “For the implementation of this plan, supporters and those in ambush from ‘Group 24’ will begin to act, who are always ready to risk their lives and give their lives.”

It was previously reported that from September 28 to 30, negotiations took place in Berlin between the heads of Central Asian states and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Against the backdrop of President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon’s visit to Germany, on September 28 and 29, the Tajik opposition organized protests in front of the Tajik Embassy in Germany and the residence of the President of Germany in Berlin.

When on September 29 the convoy of the authoritarian President Emomali Rahmon was moving towards the residence of the President of Germany, members of the political movement “Group 24” shouted “dictator” and threw eggs at his car.

In photographs later circulated, it can be seen that Emomali Rahmon is getting out of the egg-smeared car and looks very upset.