Фергана: В Стамбуле пропал лидер Группы 24 Сухроб Зафар

The article, published by Fergana (fergana.agency) on 12 March 2024, reports that Сухроб Зафар (Sukhrob Zafar), leader of the Tajik opposition political movement “Group 24” banned in Tajikistan, disappeared in Istanbul. Article reports, citing a statement from the organisation’s website, that Zafar stopped responding on the morning of 10 March 2024 and his phone was switched off; the organisation says he had repeatedly received threats of killing or abduction for return to Tajikistan. Article reports Zafar assumed leadership of Group 24 after the 2015 killing of its founder Умарали Кувватов (Umarali Kuvvatov) and arrived in Turkey in October 2014, living there legally. Article reports Zafar had been detained several times at Tajik authorities’ request in Istanbul: in 2014 he was arrested with Kuvvatov and held for six months before an Istanbul court acquitted and released them; he was subsequently arrested and released by Istanbul police on multiple occasions. The organisation is quoted stating “it is possible that Sukhrob was now abducted,” noting Tajik authorities had not succeeded in deporting Group 24 members from Turkey. Article reports that on 23 February 2024 another Group 24 member, Насимджон Шарипов (Nasimjon Sharipov), also disappeared in Istanbul, location still unknown. The article gives background on Group 24: founded 2012 in Moscow by businessman Kuvvatov; October 2014 designated extremist and banned by the Tajik Supreme Court; Kuvvatov moved to Turkey in December 2014 and was shot dead in Istanbul on 5 March 2015 in front of his wife and children. Article reports Tajik authorities “use various measures to return opposition figures and activists — from persuasion to kidnappings,” citing the July 2022 case of brothers Рамзи и Ораз Вазирбековы (Ramzi and Oraz Vazirbekov) allegedly abducted at Moscow Domodedovo airport and later sentenced to long terms in Dushanbe. Sources cited: Group 24 statement on its website, Fergana reporting, HRW photo credit.