After a break, the closed-door trial of eight political figures, who are charged with state treason and seeking to seize political power in the country by force, has resumed in Dushanbe. 

Two sources told Asia-Plus that the proceedings, being held at a pre-trial detention center, restarted on December 17 after a 15-day hiatus.

As before, the hearings were conducted behind closed doors.

According to the sources, the charges were read out in court on December 17 and 18.  Once the charges are fully presented to the defendants, a prosecutor will address the court, seeking penalties for the accused.

Asia-Plus sources report that the process has been expedited, and it is likely that the court will issue verdicts for all detained political figures before the end of the year.

However, citing the case's confidentiality, authorities have refrained from providing any information.

Recall eight public figures are being tried in secret in Dushanbe.  Among the defendants are a former foreign minister, a prominent lawmaker, and two security service colonels who -- according to prosecutors -- joined forces with banned opposition parties to organize armed groups to seize political power in Tajikistan.

Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon has claimed the plot involved seeking US$10 million from a “foreign government” while the banned Muslim extremist group Jamoati Ansorulloh was enlisted to provide some 3,000 militants for the takeover, an accusation that puzzled many because the defendants are known to be staunchly secular.

The closed-door trial of them began on November 14.  The exact charges against the defendants are unknown, while the relatives and defense lawyers don't speak to the media.  But according to RFE/RL sources close to the matter, the charges include an attempt to seize power by force, treason, inciting hatred, and forgery.  Some of the defendants have reportedly pleaded not guilty, the sources say, while pleas by most of the others are unknown due to the secrecy surrounding the cases, RFE/RL says.

The events began with a statement by the prosecutor-general, who asked parliament on June 14 to revoke the legislative immunity of lawmaker Saidjafar Usmonzoda, who had been arrested two days earlier.

Tajikistan's top prosecutor claimed that Usmonzoda, the former chairman of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan (DPT), had been in contact with the banned National Alliance of Tajikistan to discuss a plan to “seize political power by force.”

Within days, prominent public figures -- former Foreign Minister Hamrohkhon Zarifi, former parliament speaker Akbarshoh Iskandarov, deputy head of the Democratic Party Ahmadshoh Komilzoda, and the deputy leader of the Social-Democratic Party, Shokirjon Hakimov, were detained in Dushanbe.

Authorities also detained three other lesser-known officials -- former Foreign Ministry department head Abdulfaiz Atoi, and two retired colonels from the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), Nouramin Ghanizoda and Jamshed Boyev.

In August, prosecutors told reporters in Dushanbe that all of the cases being probed were “closely related.” 

Since then, there has been no word from the authorities, court officials, or defense lawyers about the cases.  All available information comes from various sources and has not been officially confirmed by authorities.