Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service says a court in Tajikistan's northeastern district of Lakhsh has sentenced the mother of noted blogger Junaidullo Khudoyorov to two years of house arrest after finding her guilty of hooliganism, a charge the 66-year-old woman denies.
Majigul Gharibova was accused of beating a local man, Alisher Nasriddin, during a conflict in November, which she vehemently denies.
Gharibova told RFE/RL after the court pronounced its decision on June 1 that she will appeal the ruling, adding that the charge against her was based on "lies."
Gharibova's son told RFE/RL that he considered the court ruling to be "retaliation" by the local authorities for his online articles revealing corruption and abuse of power among them.
In 2017, Junaidullo Khudoyorov was sentenced to five years in prison on a charge of supporting a banned Islamic group, which stemmed from his online postings. He was released after less than two years on a presidential mass amnesty.
Junaidullo’s brother, Farhod, is an active member of the opposition Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT
Recall, the mother of exiled blogger Sherzod Mamadjonov, Mrs. Shohida Mamadjonova, was sentenced to six years in prison on April 7 for supporting ides ideas of Group 24 and the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan, which are banned in Tajikistan.
Mrs. Mamadjonova pleaded not guilty but said she was "sorry" for commenting on her son's videos that were critical of the Tajik government.
Tajik authorities arrested the 45-year-old Shohida Mamadjonova on February 3 on an extremism charge.
Sherzod Mamadjonov at the time called his mother’s arrest a politically motivated attack on his family.
Sherzod, who resides in Germany, is known in Tajikistan for his blog criticizing the government for its restrictive policies toward practicing Muslims in the tightly controlled country.
