The
diplomats and representatives of these groups should attend the appeal hearing
for the journalist, Khayrullo Mirsaidov on August 15, 2018 in Khujand City
Court. It is expected to last several days.
“Attendance by representatives of
the diplomatic community throughout the appeal process will send a clear signal
to the Tajik authorities that violations of freedom of expression in the
country will not go unnoticed,” said Katie Morris, Head of Europe and Central
Asia at ARTICLE 19. “Tajikistan’s international partners should emphasize that
Mirsaidov’s continued detention will have implications for the country’s
international standing and its bilateral relationships.”
Mirsaidov’s
conviction is in retaliation for his
public allegations and criticism of corruption against local government officials in the Sugdh region,
the groups said. Authorities brought the charges after he wrote a public letter
in November 2017 to President Emomali Rahmon, calling upon him to address
government corruption.
On July 11,
Mirsaidov was sentenced to 12 years in jail on politically motivated charges of
embezzlement and misuse of state funds, and false reporting to the police. His
family was ordered to pay the local government 124,000 Tajik
somoni (approximately 11,350 EUR or 13,000 USD] in financial damages, more than
10 times the average yearly salary in Tajikistan.
“The Mirsaidov
case follows an established pattern in which whistleblowers, journalists, and
others find themselves in the authorities’ crosshairs after uncovering
corruption, crime and other violations,” said Marius Fossum, Norwegian Helsinki
Committee regional representative in Central Asia. “Democratic countries must
no longer tolerate the Tajik government’s brutal crackdown on freedom of
expression and should consider imposing targeted sanctions against officials
complicit in blatant rights violations, such as the bogus prosecution of
Khayrullo Mirsaidov.”
UN human rights experts condemned
the sentence calling it a “clearly
targeted measure against journalism and the public’s right to information.”
They said that Mirsaidov’s sentence demonstrates that “‘[the Tajik] authorities
are cracking down on reporting of corruption, rather than on corruption itself.”
The criminal investigation and
trial have been marred by serious flaws. Prior to his conviction, Mirsaidov was held in pre-trial detention for
seven months following his arrest on December 5, 2017, although he posed neither
a flight risk, nor a credible threat to public safety.
Mirsaidov’s work, including his stance against corruption, should be
commended, not punished with a 12-year sentence on bogus charges,” said Steve
Swerdlow, Europe and Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. “If the
proceedings against him and the outrageous sentence are allowed to stand, the
small vestiges of freedom of free expression that exist in Tajikistan, are
threatened with extinction."
Representatives
of the Embassies of the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the United States, and
the EU Delegation in Tajikistan have condemned Mirsaidov’s conviction as
extremely harsh, saying in a joint statement that his sentence “will have a
negative impact on the freedom of media and expression in Tajikistan,” and may
affect bilateral relations with the government of Tajikistan.
“The international
support shown thus far for press freedom in Tajikistan has been helpful and
should be followed by continued pressure on the government to release Mirsaidov
unconditionally,” said Gulnara Akhundova at International Media Support. “International
representatives in the country should demonstrate their solidarity with Mirsaidov
by attending his appeal and maintain pressure on the government throughout the
appeal process to respect human rights and media freedom.”
