A court in Tajikistan sentenced the leader of the opposition movement “Group 24,” Sukhrab Zafar, to 30 years in prison. The court in Dushanbe sentenced the leader of the political movement “Group 24,” Sukhrab Zafar, to 30 years of imprisonment. His associate, the representative of this organization in Turkey, Nasimjon Sharifov, was sentenced to 20 […]
A court in Tajikistan sentenced the leader of the opposition movement “Group 24,” Sukhrab Zafar, to 30 years in prison.
The court in Dushanbe sentenced the leader of the political movement “Group 24,” Sukhrab Zafar, to 30 years of imprisonment. His associate, the representative of this organization in Turkey, Nasimjon Sharifov, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The court session took place on October 10 in a closed setting at Detention Center No. 1 in Dushanbe.
The authorities of Tajikistan have not yet confirmed or denied this information. It is also unclear on what charges or under which articles of the criminal code these political activists were convicted.
Radio Ozodi, citing its sources, reported on October 17 that “the judge sentenced both to the terms requested by the prosecution.”
According to the publication, Sukhrab Zafar and Nasimjon Sharifov maintained their composure in court and were mentally prepared to accept the court’s verdict. In their final speech, they stated that they “do not regret the path they have chosen.”
“In particular, Sukhrab Zafar emphasized that he has never taken bribes, appropriated anything that does not belong to him, killed anyone, or done anything to regret. He also stated that he has not betrayed his people, and ‘Group 24’ is not a terrorist or extremist organization,” Radio Ozodi reports.
At the end of the session, the judge asked them, “Did you not know that you were breaking the law and that one day you would have to answer in court?” to which Sukhrab Zafar replied that they did not exclude not only arrest and conviction but also death,” writes Radio Ozodi.
The Civil Committee for the Protection of Political Hostages and Prisoners in Tajikistan condemned the Dushanbe court’s verdict against Sukhrab Zafar and Nasimjon Sharifov and called on the authorities of Tajikistan to immediately and unconditionally release these political activists.
The Committee also urged all international and human rights organizations not to remain indifferent to this case.
The leader of the political movement “Group 24,” Sukhrab Zafar, disappeared in Istanbul on the morning of March 10 this year. Activist and member of “Group 24,” Nasimjon Sharifov, also went missing on February 23, 2024. Initially, nothing was known about their whereabouts.
The “Group 24” website reported at that time that the two political activists, the representative and leader of the political movement “Group 24” — Nasimjon Sharifov and Sukhrab Zafar — were kidnapped and illegally extradited from Turkey to Tajikistan.
Nearly six months later, on August 9, the Attorney General of Tajikistan, Yusuf Rahmon, announced at a press conference that Sukhrab Zafar and Nasimjon Sharifov are in Dushanbe, the investigation into their case is nearly complete, and the case will be sent to court. However, the Attorney General did not explain how they ended up in Tajikistan and what charges were brought against them.
Both activists were kidnapped in Turkey — a country where in 2015 the founder and leader of “Group 24,” Umarali Kuvvatov, was killed.