The wife of Daler Imomali, a noted Tajik blogger who was sentenced to 10 years in prison last month, has wrote a letter to President Emomali Rahmon asking for assistance in the release of her husband from prison.
The woman, in particular, says in a letter, a copy of which is at the disposal of Asia-Plus, that Daler Imomali has never been engaged in illegal business available and “initiation of an illegal entrepreneurship case has no real basis.”
She notes that during all his blogging activities, her husband earned almost 8,300 US dollars (equivalent to about 90,000 somonis) and YouTube paid all taxes on his income to the country of registration that is to the United States.
“Despite this, my husband was ready to pay income and social tax on this legal income to the budget of Tajikistan,” the woman says in her letter.
She adds that her husband is a journalist and member of Tajik Journalists’ Union and he has conscientiously prepared reports and broadcasts about shortcomings and violation of law in the society.
The letter was sent to the president after Imomali’s defense lawyer filed a cassation complaint against Shohmansour district court’s verdict with the Dushanbe city court.
Recall, a court in Dushanbe’s Shohmansour district sentenced Daler Imomali to ten years in prison on October 17. The sentence followed his conviction on charges of illegal entrepreneurship, premeditated false denunciation, and cooperating with a terrorist group.
The blogger's relatives said the court also ordered Daler Imomali to pay a hefty fine.
Imomali pleaded guilty to the illegal entrepreneurship charge but rejected the other two accusations.
Known for writing articles that have criticized the Tajik government, Imomali was detained along with another blogger, Abdullo Ghurbati, on June 15.
Ghurbati was sentenced on October 4 to 7 1/2 years in prison on charges of publicly insulting an authority, a minor assault on an authority, and participating in the activities of an extremist group. Ghurbati pleaded not guilty to all three charges.
