The appeals court of Tajikistan’s Supreme Court began reviewing the cassation appeal of those convicted in the “attempted coup” case on April 1. The hearing is taking place at the pre-trial detention center in Dushanbe, an official source within the Supreme Court told Asia-Plus in an interview.
According to the source, all the convicted individuals and their lawyers are present at the hearing.
“Relatives of the convicted were not allowed into the courtroom — they are waiting outside,” the source added.
Back on February 20, the Supreme Court confirmed to Asia-Plus that all defendants in the coup case had filed cassation appeals.
On February 5, 2025, nine individuals were convicted in this case. They include:
- Hamrokhon Zarifi, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, sentenced to 27 years in prison;
- Saidjafar Usmonzoda, former chairman of the Democratic Party and ex-MP, sentenced to 27 year in prison;
- Jamshed Boboyev, retired colonel from the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), sentenced to 21 years in prison;
- Ahmadsho Komilzoda, journalist and former deputy head of the Democratic Party, sentenced to 19 years in prison;
- Akbarsho Iskandarov, former Chairman of the Supreme Council of Tajikistan (parliament speaker), sentenced to 18 years in prison;
- Shokirjon Hakimov, prominent lawyer and first deputy chairman of the Social-Democratic Party, sentenced to 18 year in prison;
- Nourahmad Ghanizoda, retired colonel from the SCNS, sentenced to 18 years in prions;
- Abdulfayoz Atoi, Foreign Ministry department head, sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Furthermore, the court ordered the confiscation of assets belonging to Hamrokhon Zarifi, Saidjafar Usmonzoda and Akbarsho Iskandarov.
Most of them were charged with high treason and attempting to seize power.
Additionally, the court sentenced Tajik journalist Rukhshona Hakimova, the niece of Shokirjon Hakimov, to 8 years in prison. Hakimova has been charged with treason, with prosecutors asking for 17 years' imprisonment. The charge of treason against Hakimova stems from a public survey she conducted on China's influence on Tajikistan as part of her work as a reporter last year.
Arrests began in June 2024, following the detention of Saidjaffar Usmonzoda. On June 14, the then Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon told parliament that criminal proceedings had been instituted against Usmonzoda under Article 306, Part 2, Clause “b” of Tajikistan’s Penal Code — violent seizure of power.
Following this, several prominent figures were arrested, including Akbarsho Iskandarov, Ahmadsho Komilzoda, Hamrokhon Zarifi, Shokirjon Hakimov, Abdulfayoz Atoi, Nourahmad Ghanizoda, and Jamshed Boboyev.
Later, it became known that journalist Rukhshona Hakimova was also interrogated in connection with the case. She was initially not detained due to having a nursing infant but was later arrested after the verdict was announced.
The first court session took place on November 14. All hearings were held behind closed doors at the Dushanbe pre-trial detention center and lasted more than six months. On February 5, 2025, all defendants were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 8 to 27 years.
