DUSHANBE, August 17, 2011, Asia-Plus – The first day of trial against Urunboy Usmonov, a reporter from the BBC Central Asia Bureau, and another four residents of Sughd District ended with confession of the latter of being members of banned Khizb-ut-Takhrir party.
The following four suspects admitted gilt: 46-year-old resident of Bobojongafurov region Abdunabi Abdulkodirov (who faced accusations under the following articles of the Criminal Code of Tajikistan: organization of criminal association, instigation of national, racial or religious enmity, organization and participation in extremist organization and public appeals to forced overthrow of constitutional system in Tajikistan and extremist activity); 26-year-old Jaxekhon Rahmonkhujaev (instigation of national, racial or religious enmity, public appeals to force overthrow of constitutional system in Tajikistan) as well as Talat Mavlonov, 23, and Ibrohimbek Mahmudov, 30, (instigation of national, racial or religious enmity, membership in extremist organization, organization of criminal group).
Usmonov’s defense attorney Faizinisso Vakhidova said her client plead not guilty. “The four suspects have admitted guilt of being members of Khizb-ut-Takhrir party which aims to establish Khalifat,” Usmonov’s lawyer has said. “During the trial Usmonov said that for many years he worked with specific materials and believes that it was unnecessary to inform the police about his meetings with Khizb members with whom he meets from time to time in line with his duties.”
Vakhidova has also quoted Usmonov as saying that during his first meeting with both Jaxekhon Rahmonkhujaev and Sharifkhoja Jakubov he did not know that they were members of Khizb-ut-Takhrir. They did not tell him they were Khizb members, they just talked about this party.
“Usmonov claims he did not know they were Khizb members and it become clear only one year later when Sh.Jakubov gave him a package with literature of extremist character inside,” Vakhidova said. “But Usmonov said he had thrown the pack away immediately.”
The lawyer also told the AP about her discussion with the suspects during which she asked them what did they tell the reporter from Pressa.tj to whom they have allegedly confessed to be Khizb members. “They told me that they were taken out and presented to the reporter. They did not even talk to him. It seems that Pressa.tj published its material on the basis of the criminal case,” she said.
Therefore, Vakhidova filed a petition asking the court to interrogate the reporter and asked to launch a criminal case against her. “The petition was sent to the regional court and I have already received the reply which says that the case will be considered simultaneously and together with our case,” she said.
The lawyer also wants to ask the court to question U.Mustafokulov, the judge from the Khujand City Court. “It was among his duties to check and examine the reliability of Usmonov’s refusal from defense lawyer. Taking into account the fact that Usmonov is Uzbek and does not speak Tajik language they had to provide him with lawyer,” she said.
“Secondly, Mustafokulov never checked the date of the arrest protocol with Usmonov’s actual arrest where there is a 24-hour difference,” she said.
Urunboy Usmonov faces accusations under two articles of the Criminal Code – article 36 part 5 (types of accomplices, not informing about the crime), article 307, note 3 (participation in activity of political parties, public or religious association, banned in Tajikistan).
The first day of the trial took place at the #2 temporary detention center. The judge Shokhidjon Nazarov presided over the trial.
Usmonov was arrested on June 13th. One month later he was released on bail. BBC believes that all accusations brought against Usmonov are groundless and pose serious threat to professional journalism and freedom of press in Tajikistan.
