DUSHANBE, November 12, 2012, Asia-Plus — Hikmatullo Sayfullozoda, a spokesman for the Islamic Revival Party (IRP), believes that criminal case instituted against Sherik Karamkhudoyev, the head of IRP’s organization for Khorog, the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous region (GBAO) is politically motivated.
“If they had been talking about Sherik Karamkhudoyev as just a resident of Khorog we would have not considered his case politically motivated, but the law enforcement authorities have always mentioned that he is head of IRP’s organization,” said Sayfullozoda. “We also know that they tried to make Sherik Karamkhudoyev witness against the Islamic Revival Party but he did not do that.”
He also noted that Karamkhudoyev’s lawyers said that there were traces of beating on his body and there was a deep wound on the back of Sherik’s head. According to him, the lawyers say that it cannot be ruled out that torture was used against Karamkhudoyev.
It is to be noted that the press conference was given by Manizha Shahbozbekova, wife of Sherik Karamkhudoyev.
According to her, Karamkhudoyev has been held in the detention facility for already five months but she has not yet been allowed to meet with him. “Only my mother-in-law has been allowed to meet with him, but he did not tell her that he had been beaten because security officers were there,” she noted.
We will recall that IRP reported Sherik Karamkhudoyev as missing on July 24, when government forces launched a massive military operation in Khorog against what it called “militants” following the murder of the regional security chief on July 21.
Two weeks after his disappearance, Karamkhudoyev was revealed to be held in the detention facility of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) in Dushanbe. A statement released by Freedom House notes that according to a reliable report, Karamkhudoyev has been subjected to torture while in detention.
Tajik law enforcement authorities claim that Karamkhudoyev allegedly collaborated with Imomnazar Imomnazarov, who was murdered by unknown assailants in his home in Khorog on August 22.
Criminal proceedings have reportedly been instituted against Sherik Karamkhudoyev under the provisions of two articles of Tajikistan’s Penal Code: Article 187 – organizing a criminal group; and Article 195 – illegally bearing, possessing, and acquiring weapons.
Karamkhudoyev’s defense lawyer, Ms. Zebo Qosimova, officially requested the forensic medical examination and it was carried out on October 4 in the presence of representatives of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) and the Prosecutor-General’s Office.
The results of a forensic medical examination say injuries on the body of Sherik Karamkhudoyev are allegedly the result of a fall but not torture. The lawyer is questioning the official medical examination results and she will insist on the repeated forensic medical examination.
