The young Tajik journalist Rukhshona Hakimova, sentenced to 8 years under the charge of treason, has been transferred from the Dushanbe-based pretrial detention center to a women’s penal colony in Nurek.
One of her relatives told Asia-Plus in an interview afternoon that Rukhshona was transferred to the women’s penal colony in Nurek on April 22.
“Yesterday we brought a package to the detention center, but they did not accept it. They said that Rukhshona had been transferred to Nurek, and we shouldn't bring anything anymore," the source told Asia-Plus Wednesday afternoon.
As it had been reported earlier, the Supreme Court of Tajikistan sentenced Rukhshona Hakimova, a 31-year-old independent journalist who has worked for a variety of media outlets, to eight years in prison on February 5. The sentence followed her conviction on charges of aiding in the crime of treason using official position (Article 305, Part 2).
The prosecutor had initially sought a 17-year sentence. Until the verdict, Hakimova remained free due to having two small children, but she was arrested in the courtroom immediately after the sentence was announced.
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. Hakimova’s case may be linked to her survey on “China’s Influence on Tajikistan", which was previously answered by several individuals convicted in the "coup plot" case, including Saidjafar Usmonzoda, former head of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan, sentenced to 27 years in prison, and Shokirjon Hakimov, sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Rukhshona Hakimova is an independent journalist and mother of two small children. Rukhshona Hakimova is the niece of Shokirjon Hakimov, lawyer and the Frist Deputy Chairman of the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT). He was sentenced on 18 years in prison. He was charged with incitement of social, racial, national, regional, or religious hatred (Article 189, Part 2) and treason using official position (Article 305, Part 1, item "v").
The Reporters without Borders (RSF) noted in its statement released on February 28 that the investigation into Rukhshona Hakimova’s case was marred by irregularities, and her trial was unfair.
A statement released by the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders on March 3, in particular, says Ms. Hakimova's prosecution, criminalization, and arbitrary detention stem from her professional work, specifically her involvement in conducting a politically sensitive poll about China’s influence in Tajikistan for the Kyrgyz NGO Barometer. This survey reportedly included interviews with prominent political figures “who are part of the opposition and who have also faced increasing pressure from the Tajik authorities.”
Around 130 women-mothers from Tajikistan sent an appeal to President Emomali Rahmon in early March, requesting leniency for Rukhshona Hakimova. The signatories express deep concern, primarily because Rukhshona’s two young daughters have been left without their mother at home. The younger child was still being breastfed.
