Tajik opposition politician detained in Russia

A blogger who criticized the authorities of Tajikistan on his YouTube page has been detained in St. Petersburg.

Photo: Internet

Russian law enforcement agencies have detained a 36-year-old Tajik “blogger” and “oppositionist” who was on an international wanted list.

According to Russian media, on February 20 at around 11:30 AM, officers from the criminal investigation department of St. Petersburg detained a citizen of Tajikistan on Moiseenko Street.

It is reported that he has been on the international wanted list since July 20, 2020. The authorities of Tajikistan are seeking him on serious charges. According to the investigation, he ran a YouTube channel where he allegedly called for the overthrow of the regime and incited racial and religious hatred.

A criminal case has been opened against him in Tajikistan on charges of “public calls for the violent change of the constitutional order of the Republic of Tajikistan” and “incitement of national, racial, local, or religious hatred.”

According to the press, the native of Tajikistan was living legally in Russia. He was taken to a police station, and the authorities of Tajikistan were informed of his detention.

The identity of the Tajik citizen has not been disclosed, but it is reported that he was a “blogger” and “oppositionist.”

Azda TV has not been able to ascertain the identity of the detained native of Tajikistan. The editorial team is monitoring the situation and will report as new information becomes available.

In recent years, Russian law enforcement agencies, in cooperation with Tajik security forces, have detained and deported dozens of activists and critics of the government of Emomali Rahmon from Russia. Most of them have faced torture and have been sentenced to long prison terms in their homeland.