UN expert calls for the immediate release of Rukhshona Hakimova

The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders called the verdict against the young mother “unjust,” and the fact of her separation from her nursing children “heartbreaking.”

On May 14, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Mary Lawlor expressed serious concern regarding the conviction of 31-year-old journalist and human rights defender Rukhshona Hakimova.

The relevant statement was published on the website of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

UN expert Mary Lawlor also urged the government of Tajikistan to immediately release her and provide a fair retrial in accordance with international standards.

On February 5, 2025, the Supreme Court of Tajikistan found journalist Rukhshona Hakimova guilty of treason under paragraph “d” of part 2 of Article 305 of the Criminal Code of Tajikistan and sentenced her to eight years in prison. On April 2, 2025, the Supreme Court of Tajikistan upheld the verdict against the journalist.

“The trial of Rukhshona Hakimova apparently did not meet international standards of fair trial. This raises serious concerns that she has become a target not for committing a crime, but for her legitimate activities in the field of human rights journalism,” said Mary Lawlor.

According to available information, Hakimova was detained twice in July 2024 without a warrant and formal charges. Although the charges were brought in July, neither she nor her lawyer were informed of their nature for several months, they were denied access to the case materials, and the lawyer was not provided with a copy of the verdict or allowed to meet with her after the verdict was issued.

“These concerns are exacerbated by the secrecy with which the case was handled. The case was classified as ‘secret,’ and both she and her lawyer were subjected to a non-disclosure obligation, while the trial and appeal were conducted in closed sessions. Unfortunately, this aligns with practices used in other criminal cases against human rights defenders, which I have already brought to the attention of the government,” noted the expert.

Journalist and human rights defender Rukhshona Hakimova was detained in connection with a high-profile case of “state coup.” A total of eight politicians, government officials, and security service employees were detained at that time.

The only woman, Rukhshona Hakimova, is a journalist and the niece of the Deputy Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan Shokirdzhon Hakimov. She was also accused of “treason against the state.”

It is still unclear why the investigation brought such a severe charge against the journalist; it was reported that the prosecutor accused Rukhshona Hakimova of “conducting a survey on the influence of China in Tajikistan, and some of the detained politicians, including Saidjafar Usmonzoda and Shokirdzhon Hakimov, participated in the survey.”

A UN expert expressed regret that Rukhshona Hakimova is the mother of two small children, who were two and a half years old and nine months old at the time of the verdict. It is also reported that the court ordered the confiscation of all her property, putting the family in a vulnerable financial position.

“The very fact that she has been separated from her small children is heartbreaking. But when she is even deprived of the right to visitations and receiving basic packages — it is hard to imagine the degree of isolation she is experiencing. Such treatment may deter other women — especially mothers and guardians — from working in journalism or in the field of human rights protection,” said Lolor.

The website of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reports that the UN special rapporteur is in contact with the government of Tajikistan on this issue.