(Paris, September 18, 2015) – Tajik authorities detained at least 13 activists of the Islamic Renaissance
Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) on September 16, 2015, Human Rights Watch, the
Norwegian Helsinki Committee, and the Association for Human Rights in Central
Asia said today. Authorities should immediately release or, if there is
credible evidence that they have committed a legitimate offence, promptly
charge them and ensure due process for all the detainees, including timely
access to independent counsel and contact with family members.
On September 17, the
Prosecutor General’s Office released a statement announcing the arrests, among
them the deputy party chairman, Mahmadali Hayit, and the first deputy, Saidumar
Khusaini, allegedly to “prevent new terrorist acts and (…) crimes of an extremist
nature.” It also accused the party of involvement in a violent attack on a
police station and weapons depot that began on September 4.
“These arrests represent a
full-scale assault on dissent in Tajikistan,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and
Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Tajik authorities have the
obligation to charge these men promptly with specific crimes or release them
and to maintain the presumption of innocence. They cannot hold opposition
activists on spurious claims of preventing future crimes.”
The prosecutor’s statement
said that Tajikistan’s deputy defense minister, Abduhalim Nazarzoda, whom
officials implicated in the attacks on the police station and weapons depot,
was acting on orders from the party, including the exiled party leader,
Muhiddin Kabiri, Nazarzoda was killed in a special operation on September 16.
Nine police officers and 17 militants died in the attacks.
Party officials, including
Kabiri and Hayit, have repeatedly publicly rejected accusations that the party
was involved with or supported the alleged mutiny by the deputy defense
minister.
Kabiri, who fled the country
in June fearing prosecution, told several news outlets that police
have detained up to 50 members of the party, including the party’s entire
senior leadership. Under international law, the detainees should be brought promptly
before a judge to rule on their continued detention.
The others whose arrests were
announced are: Umarali Hisaynov, Rakhmattuloy Jobir, Abdukahor Davlat, Sattor
Karimov, Zubaydulloh Roziq, Fayzmuhammad Muhammadalii, Hikmatullo Sayfullozoda,
Kiyomiddin Avazov, Zarafo Rahmoni, Mahmadsharif Nabiev, Abdusamad Ghairatov and
Vohidkhon Qosiddinov.
The arrests came days after
authorities forced the closure of the IRPT on spurious grounds amid a long-running campaign to stamp out opposition political activity in the
country and among activists abroad.
In its September 17 statement,
the general prosecutor accused Kabiri of direct involvement in violent clashes
near Dushanbe on September 4 between government forces and men loyal to
Nazarzoda. The statement alleges that Kabiri ordered Nazarzoda to instigate armed
attacks on government structures and that, acting on orders from Kabiri, Nazarzoda
had organized more than “20 illegal groups” in recent years. Kabiri has denied
all accusations against himself and the party, adding that Nazarzoda has never
been a party member and has had nothing to do with the party.
“Tajik authorities appear to
be using recent violence in the country as a pretext to rid themselves of
dissenters. But mere accusations of IRPT involvement in violence just days
after its forced closure are no substitute for a credible investigation,” said Bjørn
Engesland, secretary general of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee. “Absent real
evidence, these arrests seem to fit well into Dushanbe’s long-running smear
campaign against the country’s most prominent opposition party.”
Human Rights Watch, the
Norwegian Helsinki Committee, and the Association for Human Rights in Central
Asia are also concerned that the detainees could face a risk of torture or
ill-treatment in detention. The United States, the European Union, and all of
Tajikistan’s international partners should press the Tajik government to uphold
its international obligations to respect freedom of association, assembly,
expression, and religion.
“Tajikistan’s rights record
has deteriorated precipitously in recent months,” said Nadejda Atayeva,
president of the Association for Human Rights in Central Asia. “The time has
come for Tajikistan’s international partners, including Washington and
Brussels, to tell Tajik authorities that jailing dissidents and barring legitimate
political opposition groups from functioning could carry serious consequences
for their bilateral ties.”
For more information, please contact:
In Berlin, for Human Rights Watch, Hugh Williamson (English, German): +49-172-282-0535 (mobile); or williaa@hrw.org. Twitter: @HughAWilliamson
In Los Angeles, for Human Rights Watch, Steve Swerdlow (English, Russian): + 1-917-535-0375 (mobile); or swerdls@hrw.org. Twitter: @steveswerdlow
In Paris, for the Association for Human Rights in Central Asia, Nadejda Atayeva (Russian, French): +33-6-17-46-1963; or n.atayeva@gmail.com
In Oslo, for the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Marius Fossum (Russian, English, Norwegian): +7-771-506-4955; or fossum@nhc.no
