Eight experts of the United Nations are waiting for the response of a letter to the government of Tajikistan, in which they expressed deep concern about the fate of imprisoned journalists and human rights defenders.
These high-ranking experts and reporters of the United Nations, who work for the observance of human rights around the world, in a letter asked the Tajik government to clarify the information and reports about the violation of the rights of 9 imprisoned journalists, bloggers and cultural activists. The letter was published last week.
In a long appeal sent to the government in May of this year, reporters expressed concern about the fate of journalists and bloggers Daleri Emomali , Abdullah Ghurbati , Zavqibek Saidamini , Abdusattor Pirmuhammadzoda , Khushruz Jumaev , defense attorneys Abdulmajid Rizoev , Manuchehr Khaliqnazarov , Faromuz Irgashev and cultural activist Ulfathonim Mamadshoeva .
All these people were sentenced to long years in prison after May 2022. The petitioners said in a 20-page letter that their rights were violated at many stages.
In particular, Daler Emomali, whose video blogs had many viewers, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for illegal business, lying and membership in the banned organization “Group 24”. Rights defenders say that the authorities reprimanded him for his critical reports.
The letter expresses deep concern about the fate of Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva, a reporter and human rights defender, who is called a representative of the Pomeranian minority. The UN reporters regret that the Tajik government has not responded to their previous letters about this imprisoned woman.
Ulfathonim Mamadshoeva was sentenced to 21 years in prison after the riots in Badakhshan Mountainous Autonomous Region in 2022 for organizing protests in Khorugu Roshan and other crimes. His supporters say that all the accusations are fabricated.
The letter, signed by Mary Lawlor, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Jill Edwards, United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and ill-treatment, provides detailed information on each case of these people.
The authors of the letter said: “Although we do not want to prejudge, we want to express our deep concern about the long sentences that exceed ten years.”The letter also expressed concern that some of these prisoners were arrested illegally and arbitrarily, which is against all laws of the country and international norms.Another action of the Tajik authorities, which worries the experts of the United Nations, is the use of accusations of “extremism and extremism”, which have imprisoned many arrested bloggers and journalists with this label.According to UN experts, such behavior of the Tajik authorities sends a frightening message to the rights defenders in the country to stop their work, otherwise they will be severely reprimanded. As a result, according to the authors of the letter, the space for the activities of the cultural society in the country becomes very narrow.Experts and reporters of the United Nations have asked the government of Tajikistan to give time until they send their response to this letter, so that the rights of the imprisoned people are respected and their health, some of whom have diseases, is adequately monitored in prison.This letter was officially sent to the government of Tajikistan in May, and the government was supposed to respond to it within 60 days, but apparently they have not received an answer from Tajikistan yet, because the United Nations necessarily publishes the response on the website that posted the letter. The place for the response of the Tajik government is empty on this website.In recent years, the government of Tajikistan has been constantly criticized not only by the United Nations, but also by other independent human rights organizations and Western countries for violating human rights.
Source : Радио Озоди