HRW: Азизходжаев освободить критикующего власть

Human Rights Watch news release (Russian, 20 May 2016) reports on the case of Tajik entrepreneur Abubakr Azizkhodzhaev, detained since February 2016. HRW calls on Tajik authorities to release him immediately, stating he is held on what HRW describes as politically motivated charges and has been subject to ill-treatment. The article reports he was taken from his Dushanbe home on 26 February 2016, initially told he was a witness, then charged under Article 189 of the Tajik Criminal Code (incitement of hatred), and on 4 March transferred to Dushanbe SIZO No. 1. The article reports his printing company “Durnamo” previously produced vehicle registration plates under a government contract; in 2009 the tender went to “Faroz”, co-owned at the time by Shamsullo Sohibov, son-in-law of President Emomali Rakhmon. Printing equipment was later stolen from Durnamo and ended up with Faroz. Azizkhodzhaev wrote an Open Letter to the President subsequently republished by independent newspapers. Via his lawyer (reported to relatives), his corruption statements form the basis of the case. Relatives reported seeing burns on his body in early May and a limp the following week; he told them he had been beaten by SIZO staff. HRW spokesperson cited: Steve Swerdlow, HRW Central Asia researcher.