Chairman of the Civil Committee: “Do Not Remain Indifferent to the Situation in Tajikistan”

Abdusattor Boboev, Chairman of the Civil Committee for the Rescue of Hostages and Political Prisoners of Tajikistan, stated yesterday (Tuesday) at a human rights conference in Vilnius (Lithuania) that thousands of people in Tajikistan are currently imprisoned solely for political reasons. He called on countries and international human rights organizations to take a firm stance and said: “Once again, I respectfully ask you not to remain indifferent to the situation in Tajikistan and to exert any possible pressure on the Tajik regime to stop the torture, arrests, and killings of political activists, journalists, as well as innocent women and mothers.”

The full text of Abdusattor Boboev’s speech is provided below:

Respected ladies and gentlemen!

My name is Boboev Abdusattor, and I am the head of the Civil Committee for the Protection of Political Hostages and Prisoners in Tajikistan.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak before you here today. There is so much to say about the tragedies and misfortunes taking place in our beloved country, Tajikistan, that it is difficult to describe everything in just a few minutes.

Allow me to highlight the most important points. Today, hundreds of activists from Tajik opposition political movements—including the IRPT (Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan), Group 24, and other independent organizations, movements, and activists—have been arrested, tortured, and imprisoned for many years solely because of their political activities against the authoritarian regime in Tajikistan. The number of political prisoners currently exceeds 1,000 individuals.

Dozens of journalists—including Muhammadi Sultan, Hikmatullo Saifullozoda, Abduqahhor Davlat, Daler Imomali, Zubaidullo Roziq (an 82-year-old man), Abdusattor Pirmuhammadzoda, Zavqibek Amini, Abdulloh Gurbati, Ahmadi Ibrohim, Khushom Ghulom, Khurshedi Fozil, Rukhshona Hakimova (mother of two underage children), Ulfathonim Maadshoeva, and many others—have been imprisoned simply for freely expressing their thoughts and opinions.

Tajik mother Shohida Muhammadjonova was sentenced to 7 years in prison for the political activities of her son. Last year, Asliddin Sharipov was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment because of the political activism of his brother, blogger and political figure Shavkat Muhammad.

Last year, the leader of Group 24, Sukhrob Zafar, and the group’s representative in Turkey, Nasim Sharipov, disappeared in that country. Shortly thereafter, news emerged from Tajik prisons. The trial was held behind closed doors, where Sukhrob Zafar was sentenced to 30 years in prison and Nasim Sharipov to 20 years. It is important to note that all trials of political opponents are conducted behind closed doors and without media presence—clearly to avoid public scrutiny, because if these trials were held openly, the regime’s reputation would be severely damaged due to the lack of evidence to justify such imprisonments.

Moreover, under the Rahmon regime, the kidnapping of activists has become a common occurrence. In 2014, political activist Ehson Odinaev was abducted from Russia, followed shortly by prominent IRPT member Naimjon Samiev. To this day, there is no information about Ehson—whether he is alive or dead.

In 2018, the UN Human Rights Committee declared 13 members of the IRPT’s High Council, along with their lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov, and the chairman of the unregistered party “New Tajikistan” Zayd Said, not guilty of the charges brought against them. The committee demanded their unconditional release and financial compensation. However, the authoritarian regime in Tajikistan ignored this demand—not only failing to release the prisoners, but also carrying out four mass killings in prisons, executing many inmates, most of whom were political prisoners.

You are aware that hundreds of political activists in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) have been arrested, and dozens more brutally murdered. In the Vanj district of Badakhshan, there is a community called Yazgulem with a population of about 7,000 people. Every year, Tajik security and law enforcement forces conduct operations there, resulting in the deaths of local residents and the long-term imprisonment of many others.

Two deputy chairmen of the Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan, Mahmurod Odinaev and Professor Hakimjon Shokirov, were sentenced to lengthy prison terms without any evidence of guilt. Likewise, two deputy chairmen of the IRPT, Saidumar Husaini and Muhammadali Hait, were sentenced to life imprisonment.

In any case, hundreds of facts and documents collected in these reports are before you. Please take the time to read them.

On behalf of the Civil Committee for the Protection of Political Hostages and Prisoners in Tajikistan, I once again respectfully call upon all countries and international human rights organizations not to remain neutral in the case of Tajikistan. Apply all possible pressure on the Tajik regime to end the torture, imprisonment, and killing of political activists, journalists, innocent women, and mothers.

In conclusion, I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers of this gathering.

Thank you for your attention!