A prosecutor in a the trial of eight political figures, who are charged with state treason and seeking to seize political power in the country by force, asked the Supreme Court on January 8 to sentence them to prison terms ranging from 20 to 30 years, two sources, who wanted to remain unnamed, told Asia-Plus Thursday morning.
Thus, the prosecutor reportedly requested a 30-year prison sentence for Saidjafar Usmonzoda, former member of the Majlisi Namoayndagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) also former leader of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan, and Hamrokhon Zarifi, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan.
Two anonymous sources from "Asia-Plus" reported the following requests from the prosecutor:
Saidjafar Usmonzoda, MP and former chairman of the Democratic Party – 30 years;
Hamrokhon Zarifi, ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs – 30 years;
Akbarshoh Iskandarov, former parliament speaker – 23 years;
Abdulfaiz Atoi, former Foreign Ministry department head – 23 years;
Ahmadshoh Komilzoda, former deputy chairman of the Democratic Party – 23 years;
Shokirjon Hakimov, lawyer and first deputy chairman of the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT) – 20 years.
Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, citing its sources, reported that the prosecutor had also asked 26-year sentence for two retired colonels from the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), Nouramin Ghanizoda and Jamshed Boyev.
No official comments
Authorities have not made official statements regarding the case, so all information comes from various sources. The opinions of the accused, their relatives, and their lawyers have not been disclosed, as they have refrained from communicating with the press.
However, almost all of the accused have previously denied the charges of attempting a coup.
After the prosecutor announced the charges, the accused will be given an opportunity to make final statements. Following this, the judge will deliberate.
It is currently unclear when the next court session will take place.
When did the arrests begin and what are the charges?
Recall eight public figures having been tried in secret in Dushanbe. The closed-door trial of them began on November 14.
The events began with a statement by the Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon, who asked parliament on June 14 to revoke the legislative immunity of lawmaker Saidjafar Usmonzoda, who had been arrested two days earlier. Yusuf Rahmon announced at a parliamentary session that Usmonzoda was being charged under Article 306, Part 2, Clause "v" of the Criminal Code (Seizure of power through violence).
Tajikistan's top prosecutor claimed that Usmonzoda had been in contact with the banned National Alliance of Tajikistan to discuss a plan to “seize political power by force.”
Within days, prominent public figures — former Foreign Minister Hamrohkhon Zarifi, former parliament speaker Akbarshoh Iskandarov, deputy head of the Democratic Party Ahmadshoh Komilzoda, and the deputy leader of the Social-Democratic Party, Shokirjon Hakimov, were detained in Dushanbe.
Authorities also detained three other lesser-known officials — Abdulfaiz Atoi, Nouramin Ghanizoda and Jamshed Boyev.
Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon has claimed the plot involved seeking US$10 million from a “foreign government” while the banned Muslim extremist group Jamoati Ansorulloh was enlisted to provide some 3,000 militants for the takeover, an accusation that puzzled many because the defendants are known to be staunchly secular.
In August, prosecutors told reporters in Dushanbe that all of the cases being probed were “closely related.”
Since then, there has been no word from the authorities, court officials, or defense lawyers about the cases. All available information comes from various sources and has not been officially confirmed by authorities.
