Азаттык Азия: "The Kholikzoda case — serious crime or behind-the-scenes struggle in the corridors of power?"

Azattyq Asia / Radio Ozodi article by Mumin Akhmadi (Мумин Ахмади) and Mirzonabi Kholikzod (Мирзонаби Холикзод), published 4 September 2023, analyses the criminal case against Abdukhalil Kholikzoda (Абдухалил Холикзода), founder and owner of the Tajik-Iranian clinic “Ibn Sino” and author of the memoir “Ҳаводиси рӯзгори ман” (“Events of my life”), which was released in March 2023.

The article reports Kholikzoda was detained on 7 August 2023 in connection with passages from his book. The Supreme Court of Tajikistan confirmed in writing to Radio Ozodi that a pre-trial detention order had been issued. A criminal case was opened under Article 189 of the Criminal Code (inciting social, racial, national, regional or religious hatred by a group by prior agreement), which the article quotes in full and notes carries two to five years’ imprisonment if committed within a year of an administrative penalty — a condition the article states was not met in his case. The article also reports the arrest of the book’s editor, writer Abdukodir Rustam (Абдукодир Рустам).

The article states Kholikzoda’s book cites stories attributed to his friends Saidmumin Yatimov (Саидмумин Ятимов), head of the GKNB (State Committee for National Security), and Minister of Internal Affairs Ramazon Rakhimzoda (Рамазон Рахимзода). It reports sources close to the authorities linking the prosecution to Prosecutor General Yusuf Rakhmon (Юсуф Рахмон), who became a relative-by-marriage (сват) of President Emomali Rahmon (Эмомали Рахмон) in November 2022 when the president’s youngest daughter married Yusuf Rakhmon’s son. On 30 August 2023 the official government newspaper “Jumhuriyat” ran a critical review by Abdujabbor Rakhmonzoda (Абдуджаббор Рахмонзода), Tajikistan’s ambassador to Uzbekistan. The article quotes Europe-based poet Isfandiyori Nazar (Исфандиёри Назар), journalist Zafar Sufi (Зафар Суфи), and Sa’di Mahdi (Саъди Махди), director of the Tajikistan Media Academy. Article 30 of the Constitution, prohibiting state censorship, is cited. The article also references the 2015 removal of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan as a comparator.