Amnesty International: TJ 2024-25

Amnesty International annual country report on Tajikistan covering events in 2024, published in 2025. The report states that persecution of dissent continued, with activists, government critics, and independent journalists including those in exile targeted through intimidation and politically motivated prosecution. The document reports that Bilol Kurbonaliyev, deported from Germany in 2023, received a 10-year sentence in February for alleged Group 24 membership, and that Sulaimon Jobirov was forcibly returned from Russia in April and sentenced to six years by August on similar charges. The article finds that in June and July several high-ranking politicians and former officials, including Saidjafar Usmonzoda, Khamrokhon Zarifi, Akbarsho Iskandarov, Akhmadshokh Komilzoda, and Shokirjon Khakimov, were detained for alleged conspiracy to seize power. In January a court sentenced Shakhboz Sharifbek to five years for an online video about military conscription. In August authorities arrested Akhmad Ibrohim, editor-in-chief of Paik magazine. The report finds that by February at least 222 Pamiris had been convicted in unfair closed trials linked to the 2021 GBAO protests, and cites the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention calling for release of Faromuz Irgashev, Manuchehr Kholiknazarov, and Khursand Mamadshoev. The document reports a June law banning clothing “alien to national culture”, the January reduction of banned occupations for women from 334 to 194, and in August police claims that Damir Obidov committed suicide two days after arrest. Internal sources cited include UN Special Rapporteurs, CEDAW Committee, UNICEF, the Tajikistani Human Rights Commissioner, IPHR, and CPJ.