One of the most hazardous jobs in Tajikistan is being a lawyer — at least the type of lawyer who believes in genuine justice, says an article by Bruce Pannier posted on Radio Liberty’s website.
According to him, Buzurgmehr Yorov and Nouriddin Mahkamov are two examples.
Yorov suddenly faced criminal charges after daring to defend Tajik opposition figures in court and Mahkamov faced similar charges after trying to defend Yorov.
Both were convicted of fraud, inciting national, racial, local, or religious hostility, and extremism, despite the prosecutors' failure to present any evidence to support the charges. Yorov was sentenced in 2016 to 23 years in prison, with five additional years being added at a later trial, while Mahkamov was sentenced that same year to 21 years in prison.
Another example is Saidnouriddin Shamsiddinov, a 41-year-old attorney and former bailiff who was just sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison after a Vakhsh court found him guilty of seven crimes, among them the illegal sale of land, fraud, and purposefully spreading false information.
Shamsiddinov's relatives reportedly reject the charges and verdict and say the real reason for Shamsiddinov's imprisonment was his criticism about prosecutors and judges in posts on social networks.
Tajik authorities are reportedly sensitive to any criticism and those who criticize usually find themselves in court.
One of Shamsiddinov's lawyers, Nusratullo Mirzoyev, said his client used his final statement in court to declare his innocence and reject all the charges against him.
But the judge reportedly used the statement as evidence of Shamsiddinov's guilt.
Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service contacted the judge at the trial, Ahliddin Nazarzoda, but after hearing the question about Shamsiddinov, he hung up the phone and disconnected it.
Public prosecutor Abdumajid Saidzoda reportedly declared that allowing Shamsiddinov to remain free would be a threat to the safety of Tajik citizens.
Shamsiddinov's family plan to appeal the verdict.
