TJinform: Authorities to place IRPT leader Kabiri on international wanted list

TJinform reports from Dushanbe on 18 September 2015 that Tajikistan’s law enforcement agencies are preparing to file documents with Interpol to place Muhiddin Kabiri (Мухиддин Кабири), leader of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), on the international wanted list. The article attributes the information to Radio Ozodi. According to the article, after completing the necessary procedures the security agencies will submit a request to Interpol for Kabiri’s detention and extradition. The article reports that the General Prosecutor’s Office of Tajikistan had accused Kabiri and active members of the party of involvement in extremist activity and of criminal ties with the former deputy defence minister Abdukhalim Nazarzoda (Абдухалим Назарзода). The article reports that the day before, 13 active party members, including IRPT leadership, had been arrested. The article reports that Kabiri, located abroad at the time, called the statements from the Prosecutor General a fabricated case against him and the party, used as a pretext to accuse the IRPT of extremist activity. According to the article, Kabiri stated that in this way the Tajik authorities are attempting to eliminate their political opponents by resorting to unfounded accusations. Sources cited: Radio Ozodi; General Prosecutor’s Office of Tajikistan; Muhiddin Kabiri’s public statements.