A journalist in Tajikistan is facing charges in what the Tajik government calls a "secret" case that could lead to up to 17 years in prison, Human Rights Watch said today. The Tajik authorities should drop the charges.
According to a media report on January 23, 2025, Ruhshona Khakimova, an investigative journalist and member of the National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan, may face "treason" charges in connection with a public survey she conducted on China's influence in Tajikistan. As both Khakimova and her lawyer had to sign a non-disclosure agreement, they are unable to provide any details on the case against her, but the reports indicate that charges against her were issued in July 2024. Because Khakimova is caring for her infant child, the court has placed her under house arrest, rather than in pretrial detention, and has seized her identity documents.
"Journalists should not face criminal charges for doing their work, and the authorities should drop the charges against Khakimova and release her from home arrest" said Syinat Sultanalieva, Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. "If Tajik authorities have credible evidence that a genuine crime has been committed, they should follow due process and guarantee a fair trial
Khakimova is the niece of Shokirjon Khakimov, a human rights lawyer, publicist, and deputy chair of the opposition Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan, whom the authorities arrested in July 2024 as part of a series of arrests of prominent figures in what came to be known as the "coup d'état case." All detainees in that case, all former and current politicians, are charged with high treason for allegedly plotting to seize power and are facing prison sentences of between 23 and 30 years.
Freedom of expression and of the media in Tajikistan has come under increased repression in the last few years.
In August 2024, Ahmad Ibrohim, chief editor of regional independent weekly newspaper Payk (Message), was arrested on charges of bribery, extortion, and extremism related to his newspaper's re-registration. Previous arrests of journalists on such charges have been shown to be politically motivated. On January 10, 2025, Ibrohim was sentenced to 10 years in prison following a trial held behind closed doors after authorities reportedly classified his case as "secret." Payk had previously complained of retaliation by local authorities for its critical reporting.
Seven other Tajik journalists are currently imprisoned for their critical reporting, including Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva, who, in 2022, was sentenced to 21 years on trumped-up charges of organizing protests in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). The others are Abdullo Ghurbati, Daler Imomali, Zavqibek Saidamini, Khushruz Jumayev, Abdusattor Pirmuhammadzoda, and Khurshed Fozilov. Their sentences range from 7 to 10 years on charges believed to have been brought in retaliation for their work.
Tajikistan has a long history of prosecuting journalists and bloggers for their critical opinions. Tajikistan's telecommunications agency regularly blocks websites that carry information potentially critical of the government, including the Radio Ozodi website. The authorities also regularly refuse accreditation or only extend accreditation for a month at a time to journalists with Radio Free Europe's Tajik service, one of the country's few independent media.
Tajik authorities should respect freedom of expression and stop retaliating against journalists carrying out their professional activities, Human Rights Watch said. The country's regional and international partners should also hold Tajikistan accountable for its human rights obligations.
"Tajik authorities should cease their campaign of intimidation against the independent press and release all unjustly imprisoned journalists immediately," Sultanalieva said. "The authorities should remember that critical voices and opinions are the cornerstone of a democratic society and that stifling them is a violation of international human rights norms on freedom of expression."
