Asia-Plus: Supreme Court issues verdicts in 'coup plot' case

On 5 February 2025 Asia-Plus reported that the Supreme Court of Tajikistan had handed down verdicts in the high-profile “attempted coup d’état” case. According to the article, the verdict was announced inside Dushanbe’s pre-trial detention facility (SIZO), where the whole trial had been held behind closed doors. The article reports that, per multiple sources of Asia-Plus, the court sentenced: Saidjafar Usmonzoda (Саидджафар Усмонзода), parliament deputy and former chair of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan, to 27 years; Hamrokhon Zarifi (Хамрохон Зарифи), former Minister of Foreign Affairs, to 27 years; Shokirjon Hakimov (Шокирджон Хакимов), deputy chair of the Social-Democratic Party and a lawyer, to 18 years; Ahmadshoh Komilzoda (Ахмадшох Комилзода), former deputy chair of the Democratic Party and a journalist, to 18 years. The article states that journalist Rukhshona Hakimova (Рухшона Хакимова), Shokirjon Hakimov’s niece, was sentenced to 8 years on charges of “treason” (Article 305 of the Criminal Code); she had been at liberty before the verdict due to having two young children and was arrested in the courtroom. The prosecutor had asked for 17 years for her; the article reports her case was linked to her survey on “Chinese influence in Tajikistan” in which some of the other convicted defendants had participated. Citing Radio Ozodi, the article reports that former Supreme Council chair Akbarsho Iskandarov (Акбаршох Искандаров) received 18 years, retired colonel Nuramin Ganizoda (Нурамин Ганизода) 18 years, and former Foreign Ministry department head Abdulfayz Atoi (Абдулфайз Атои) 17 years. The property of Zarifi and Usmonzoda was ordered confiscated. Most defendants were charged under Articles 305 (treason) and 306 (seizure of power); some under 247 (fraud) and 189 (incitement of national, racial, local or religious enmity). The article states the defendants had declared their innocence and asked the court to acquit them. Authorities did not publish official information; the article reports prosecutors had sought 23–30-year terms on 8 January. Arrests began in June 2024 with Usmonzoda’s detention; at least seven more followed in subsequent months. Sources cited: Asia-Plus sources, Radio Ozodi.