Nine individuals involved in the case of the car bombing targeting Salim Sayvalizoda, the chairman of the organization of the ruling People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan (PDPT) for Kulob, have been sentenced to terms ranging from five years to life imprisonment, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as  Radio Ozodi, reports.

Hamzaali Musofirov, the prosecutor for the Kulob region of Khatlon province, announced at a news conference on January 28 that the accused include Bakhtiyor Majidzoda, Navrouzjon Odinayev, Qurbonali Vohidov, Aslam Oltiyev, Akmal Shermatov, Saidmahmoud Shoyev, Hakim Imomov, Nasim Ashourov, and Kholisamo Rahimova.  However, he did not specify the individual sentences.

According to the Kulob prosecutor’s office, Kholisamo Rahimova, the only woman in the case, was sentenced to five years in prison but remains free due to having a young child.

The prosecutor did not disclose the date of the verdict.  The case was investigated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) and was heard in a regional court.

Incident details

The official vehicle of Salim Sayvalizoda exploded on January 5, 2024, near his home in the village of Tudakafsh, injuring him.  Initially, the incident was classified as an “attempted murder.”  However, a few days later, the explosion was reclassified as a terrorist act committed by an organized criminal group.