Mediazona Central Asia: Tajik journalist describes online harassment campaign over ties to Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva

Mediazona Central Asia, in a 26 May 2022 news item, reports that Tajik journalist Ramziya Mirzobekova (Рамзия Мирзобекова) publicly described a harassment campaign against her stemming from her acquaintance with jailed rights defender Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva (Улфатхоним / Ульфатхоним Мамадшоева), citing the outlet “Bomdod” («Бомдод»). The article reports that on 25 May Mirzobekova wrote on Facebook that a group she says is linked to the Tajik security services had begun attacking her, accusing her of destabilising the situation in Gorno-Badakhshan (GBAO / ГБАО), supporting “convicted extremists,” and holding nationalist views. The article reports that Mirzobekova said she had been questioned by Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security (ГКНБ) because of her acquaintance with Mamadshoeva, who had recently been accused of organising the Khorog protests, and that after the interview the security services confiscated her phone and computer for inspection. The article reports that protests in GBAO began on 16 May 2022 and that the GKNB detained Mamadshoeva shortly afterwards on suspicion of public calls to violently change the constitutional order — a charge carrying 8 to 15 years — which she called “complete absurdity,” saying she had been in the Pamirs a week before the protests and did not expect any to occur. The article reports that on 25 May a Tajik state channel aired a film titled “Shikasti fitna” («Шикасти фитна») featuring “confessions” by Mamadshoeva to organising the GBAO protests and receiving foreign funding, including over 400,000 somoni over five years and a 100-dollar transfer of information on border-troop numbers. The article reports that authorities also named her ex-husband Kholbash Kholbashev (Холбаш Холбашев), a retired border-troop general, and the Interior Ministry announced the detention of 15 of his supporters; exile opposition activist Alim Sherzamonov (Алим Шерзамонов) was also accused. Sources cited: Bomdod, Radio Ozodi («Озоди»), Tajik Interior Ministry statements, state-channel broadcast “Shikasti fitna.”