JURIST: HRW urges TJ release Yorov

The report states that on 29 September 2025, JURIST News (authored by Reza Hossaini of Newcastle Law School) covered Human Rights Watch’s condemnation of Tajikistan’s authorities for wrongfully imprisoning lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov for 10 years. The report states HRW cited politically motivated charges linked to Yorov’s work representing opposition figures. The report states Yorov was arrested in September 2015, his home and office were raided without a warrant, and he was charged with forgery, fraud, “arousing national, racial, local or religious hostility,” and extremism. The report states Yorov is currently serving a 28-year sentence and has reportedly endured repeated beatings, threats, and harassment while in detention. The report states the charges appeared to have been prompted by an interview Yorov gave shortly before his arrest in which he announced that one of the people he represented had been tortured in pretrial detention and called for a coalition of lawyers to join him in representing detained Islamic Renaissance Party members. The report states HRW urged Tajikistan’s authorities to quash Yorov’s conviction and release him immediately, along with all other persons arbitrarily detained for peacefully exercising their human rights. The report states that over the past 10 years, many lawyers, journalists, civic activists, and community leaders have faced arbitrary detention and politically motivated charges under the regime of President Emomali Rahmon, including Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva, Mamadsulton Mavlonazarov, Ruhshona Khakimova, and lawyer Manuchehr Kholiknazarov. The report states other human rights organisations including Amnesty International, ICJ, Lawyers for Lawyers, and Freedom Now signed the condemnation and called for Yorov’s release.