Настоящее Время: Extrajudicial killings, torture and ban on identity — key points from the Amnesty International report on repression of Pamiris in Tajikistan

Current Time (Настоящее Время) article dated 11 September 2024 summarises findings from an Amnesty International report on the treatment of Pamiris (памирцы) in Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (ГБАО). The article provides historical context — the region’s 1990s self-proclaimed autonomous republic, the 1997 peace agreement, and a 2018 population figure of about 223,000 — and reports that President Emomali Rahmon (Эмомали Рахмон) increased security-force deployment citing “extremists” and “terrorists.”

The article states Gulbiddin Ziyobekov (Гулбиддин Зиёбеков) was shot during a GKNB special-forces operation on 25 November 2021 in the village of Tavdem (Тавдем) after an earlier February 2020 incident involving deputy prosecutor Abdusalom Abirzoda (Абдусалом Абирзода). The article reports the subsequent formation of “Komitet 44” (Комитет 44) to monitor the investigation. It names Mamadbokir Mamadbokirov (Мамадбокир Мамадбокиров), described as a civil-war-era community leader, as killed in Khorog on 22 May 2022 by masked gunmen, with one eyewitness quoted describing four armed GKNB “Alpha” operatives.

The article reports Amnesty documented torture of at least six people, including electric shocks, needles inserted under fingernails and sleep deprivation. It lists prison sentences for four “Komitet 44” members: Faromuz Irgashev (Фаромуз Иргашев) — 29 years; Manuchehr Kholiknazarov (Манучехр Холикназаров) — 16; Khursand Mamadshoev (Хурсанд Мамадшоев) — 16; Muzaffar Mubarakshoev (Музаффар Мубаракшоев) — 29. The article reports sexual harassment of Pamiri women by security forces; restrictions on Pamiri language in schools, on Ismaili practices and on celebrations of the Aga Khan’s birthday; closure of NGOs and of the Aga Khan Foundation’s work in the region by spring 2023. It cites UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor (Мэри Лолор) and Tajik ombudsman’s representative Ahad Sodikov (Ахад Содиков). Sources referenced include Amnesty International, Radio Ozodi, HRW and the UN.