HRW: Free human rights lawyers TJ

Published by Human Rights Watch and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (Oslo) on 4 May 2016, this joint report calls for the release of four imprisoned Tajik human rights lawyers and two sons of another prominent lawyer. The document reports that since 2014 Tajik authorities have arrested or imprisoned Shukhrat Kudratov, Fakhriddin Zokirov, Buzurgmehr Yorov, Nuriddin Makhkamov, Dilbar Dodojonova, and Firuz and Daler Tabarov (sons of lawyer Iskhok Tabarov). The report states that Kudratov’s nine-year sentence was reduced on appeal to three years and eight months. The article finds that opposition figure Umarali Kuvvatov was shot dead in Istanbul in March 2015 in circumstances pointing to Tajik government involvement. The document reports the September 2015 forced closure of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) and the arrests of up to 200 party members. On 11 February 2016, a Vakhdat court sentenced Firuz Tabarov to 13.5 years for “extremism” (Article 307) and “facilitating mercenary fighters” (Article 401); the report states he was tortured in pretrial detention to force a confession. Daler Tabarov was arrested 14 March 2016 on failure-to-report charges (Article 347). The report states Nuriddin Makhkamov was arrested 22 October 2015 and placed in solitary confinement on 20 November after a hunger strike. Dilbar Dodojonova was arrested 26 October 2015. Fayzinisso Vohidova received text death threats from July 2015. The document reports a November 2015 law requiring lawyers to requalify with the Justice Ministry every five years. Steve Swerdlow and Marius Fossum are quoted.