Tajik activists get long jail terms for ties to opposition leader
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 13 March 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Tajik activists get long jail terms for ties to opposition leader, 13 March 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/552f9d6415.html [accessed 3 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
March 13, 2015
By RFE/RL's Tajik Service
DUSHANBE – Two Tajik activists have each been sentenced to 16 1/2 years in prison for being members of a banned political opposition movement.
A Dushanbe court on March 13 found Firdavs Muhiddinov and Farhod Karimov guilty of insulting President Emomali Rahmon, being members of the banned opposition movement Group 24, and plotting to overthrow the government before handing them their sentences.
Karimov was arrested last year after police searched his computer and found photos they said "insulted" Rahmon.
Muhiddinov was detained for appearing online at a gathering of Tajik migrants in Russia and calling for Rahmon's resignation.
Both men pleaded "partially guilty" and denied any association with Group 24, which was founded by fugitive tycoon Umarali Quvatov, who was shot dead in Istanbul on March 5.
The group was banned in October after being labelled an extremist group.
Activist Umedjon Solehov was sentenced last week to 17 1/2 years in prison on the same charges.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
