NATO condemned the absentia sentence against the opposition figure

The National Alliance of Tajikistan condemned the in absentia verdict against the Yokubov family and called the trial a “violation of law and order.”

On January 16, 2024, the National Alliance of Tajikistan published a statement on its Facebook page, stating that it condemned the in absentia court verdict against the Yokubov family, including Ilkhomjon Yokubov, his father, mother, and sister, and believes that this verdict “violates the legislation of Tajikistan and international law norms.”

The statement from the National Alliance of Tajikistan notes that this verdict “was issued at a time when none of the defendants were informed about it, they were not notified about the case and the course of the investigation. According to available information, the trial was held in closed session and without the participation of a lawyer, which is a violation of law and order.”

The convicted Ilkhomjon Yokubov also published an official letter to the Chairman of the Court of Khujand, calling the in absentia verdict against him, his father, and sister illegal, and considers it contrary to the criminal legislation of the Republic of Tajikistan.

Earlier, the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan in its official statement also called this court verdict politically motivated and “arbitrary.” The National Alliance of Tajikistan also described the verdict against this family as “collective punishment” and stated that “one of the main goals of this judicial decision is to legitimize the confiscation of the family’s private property and intimidate opponents of the government of Tajikistan and dissenters.”

In December 2023, the court of Khujand sentenced Ilkhomjon Yokubov, his father Dadodjon Yokubov, mother Ochodjon Yokubova, and sister Munira Yokubova (after marriage – Juraeva) to long prison terms on charges of extremist activities.

Tajik political activist and opponent of the government of Emomali Rahmon, Ilkhomjon Yokubov, previously held the position of head of the regional department of the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan in the Sughd region. After this party was banned in Tajikistan, he has been living with his family in Europe for 8 years. He is the head of the Central Asian Migrants Association and one of the leaders of the National Alliance of Tajikistan.