A Tajik youth, who, according to Russian media, was arrested on suspicion of spying for Ukraine, said shortly before his arrest that he joined the Russian army out of necessity. Sharifjon Tillozoda was speaking from a military training camp where he was being prepared to go to Ukraine.
But now this 32-year-old resident of Panjakent, Tajikistan is accused of spying for Ukraine. According to the Russian authorities, Sharifjan Tillozoda filmed the important military facilities of this country and “sent them to the Ukrainian military”. On October 10, Tillozoda was taken into pretrial detention for two months at the request of the Federal Security Service of Russia, or FSB. Sharifjon Tillozoda faces 10 to 20 years in prison if the charge is proven.
Some of his friends and users of social networks call this accusation baseless and say that it is probably an attempt to avoid going to war in Ukraine. According to them, he regretted joining the Russian army and wanted to leave the training camp.
Sharifjon Tillozoda used to publish his photos and videos on social networks from inside the military base, and according to some of them, this may be the reason for his suspicion and arrest.
Nilufari Aziz, one of those who knew Sharifjon Tillozoda, wrote on Facebook, “In his last posts, he said that he will not go to war and pray for me to answer and return. He didn’t even have money to buy a flight ticket to Tajikistan. So how can he be a Ukrainian spy?”
Sharifjan Tillozoda himself told Radio Ozodi in an interview in September that he was taught the methods of war and the use of weapons for a month. “They will take us today tomorrow.” I don’t agree, but what should I do? If I go to Tajikistan, I will be arrested, I told the truth several times on live broadcasts. Either I will become a victim or I don’t know, I have never done anything like this in my life, but I had no choice.”
Sharifjon Tillozoda said in his interview that he was unemployed and penniless in Russia and could not return to Tajikistan for fear of arrest. That’s why, according to Tillozoda, he had no choice but to accept the offer to participate in the war.
“One guy promised to find a job for me in a meat factory. I came to sleep for two weeks without work, no work. Then I stayed along the street. I saw the same “Slujit na rodinu” announcements, called and left. Tajiks living in Russia worked there as volunteers. They said, why do you want to go to war as a young and beautiful boy? I said, my life has become like this, where should I go, who should I turn to?”
Sharifjon Tillozoda was a graduate of the Dushanbe Institute of Culture and Art and introduced himself as a theater and film actor. Previously, he complained on social networks about the injustice in the field of culture and cinema of Tajikistan and claimed that he was fired from “Tojikfilm” for no reason.
The last time he went to Russia in January of this year. Because according to Sharifjan Tillozoda, he was under pressure from the authorities in Tajikistan. He claimed that they asked him to write and publish videos and respond to critical articles against the country.
“They call me, I’m at work, they say, I need to write a response urgently. It hit my heart. I appealed to someone, but it was unsuccessful,” Sharifjon said in his conversation with Ozodi a month ago.
The position of the Tajik authorities on these claims of the young man is unknown. However, such an experience of the so-called “answer factory” – government institutions has been reported many times.
Accusing a Tajik citizen of spying for Ukraine is a rare event, but until now dozens of young Tajiks have been forced into the army and war, and sometimes because of the inevitability and deception of the promises of the Russian authorities. The news of the death of more than 20 young Tajiks in Russia’s war against Ukraine has been published. Earlier, the Embassy of Tajikistan in Russia warned that they will be prosecuted for participating in foreign wars.
Source : Радио Озоди