At the detention center in Dushanbe, during another court hearing on January 22, prominent figures—defendants in the "coup case"—delivered their final statements before the verdict is issued.
Two sources familiar with the case told Asia-Plus that the defendants, who are charged with state treason and seeking to seize political power in the country by force, denied the charges against them.
According to the sources, former Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi stated that after retiring, he had fully dedicated himself to academia and stepped away from politics.
"To support his statement, he presented several scientific articles and books he authored, refuting the accusations against him and requesting his release. Shokirjon Hakimov, a well-known lawyer, also denied all charges against him, declaring that he is a 'true patriot, who has devoted his life to solving the country's and nation's issues,'" the sources said.
The sources added that all those who spoke in their final statements requested the court to release them.
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.
Recall, a prosecutor in the trial of those eight political figures asked the Supreme Court on January 8 to sentence them to prison terms ranging from 20 to 30 years.
Thus, the prosecutor requested a 30-year prison sentence for Saidjafar Usmonzoda, former member of the Majlisi Namoayndagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) also former leader of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan, and Hamrokhon Zarifi, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan.
The following are requests from the prosecutor:
- Saidjafar Usmonzoda, MP and former chairman of the Democratic Party – 30 years;
- Hamrokhon Zarifi, ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs – 30 years;
- Akbarshoh Iskandarov, former parliament speaker – 23 years;
- Abdulfaiz Atoi, former Foreign Ministry department head – 23 years;
- Ahmadshoh Komilzoda, former deputy chairman of the Democratic Party – 23 years;
- Shokirjon Hakimov, lawyer and first deputy chairman of the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT) – 20 years.
The prosecutor had also asked 26-year sentence for two retired colonels from the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), Nouramin Ghanizoda and Jamshed Boyev.
Eight public figures have been tried in secret at the Dushanbe-based pretrial detention facility. The closed-door trial of them began on November 14.
Meanwhile, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, reported yesterday that the prosecutor requested a 17-year prison sentence for journalist Rukhshona Hakimova, who is Shokirjon Hakimov's niece.
Authorities reportedly suspect her of treason under Article 305 of the Criminal Code of Tajikistan.
Rukhshona Hakimova and her lawyer were unavailable for comment.
A source close to the investigation earlier told Radio Ozodi that Hakimova's case is related to an investigation into "China's influence in Tajikistan." However, the source could not confirm whether her case is connected to the "coup case."
According to Radio Ozodi, Rukhshona Hakimova was not placed in pretrial detention due to having a nursing infant, but her passport was confiscated, and she has been released on a written pledge not to leave the country.
The 31-year-old Hakimova is a graduate of the Faculty of Journalism at the National University of Tajikistan. She has worked at the Center for Investigative Journalism and other media organizations. She has two children.
Руcский
