The authorities of Tajikistan have begun seizing the assets of prominent figures who have been imprisoned on charges of attempting a coup. Relatives of some of the convicted individuals told Radio Ozodi that the authorities had warned them to vacate their homes. This is happening while the families of some of these individuals disagree with the authorities' decision.

"Two cars of Iskandarov will also be seized"

After the court ruling became legally binding regarding the imprisonment of prominent figures, representatives of the Enforcement Service began seizing the property of some of them.

According to information received by Radio Ozodi, the paternal home of Saidjafar Usmonzoda, the former chairman of the Democratic Party and former member of parliament in the Farkhor district, has been seized. The house where Usmonzoda lived in Dushanbe was registered under his wife's name.

On April 16, Radio Ozodi reporters went to Usmonzoda's residence in Dushanbe, but his relatives refused to comment. They only stated that no one had come to seize the house as it belonged to Usmonzoda's wife, not to him.

The property of Hamrokhon Zarifi, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, in the Ismaili Somoni district, was also seized.  On April 16, Radio Ozodi reporters visited Zarifi’s residence, but no one was found. It was clear that the door lock had been changed.

Several of Zarifi's neighbors told Radio Ozodi reporters that on April 14, representatives of the authorities came and warned Zarifi’s relatives that their house was being seized and they needed to vacate it.

“Zarifi used to live in this house from spring to autumn, and in winter he would move to a high-rise apartment. After his arrest, we only saw his wife living here, and three days ago they also kicked her out, saying the house was seized based on the court's decision,” one of Zarifi's neighbors said.

According to information received by Radio Ozodi, on the evening of April 15, representatives of the Enforcement Service went to the residence of Akbarsho Iskandarov, the former chairman of the Supreme Council of Tajikistan and briefly the acting president of Tajikistan, and told his relatives that they must vacate the house within two days.  Two of Iskandarov’s cars will also be seized by court order.

One of Akbarsho Iskandarov’s relatives, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated that they did not agree with the seizure decision because the house actually belongs to Iskandarov’s nephew.

“The owner of the house, Iskandarov’s nephew, told representatives of the Enforcement Service that the house belonged to him, so why are they seizing it?  They said, ‘We are only carrying out orders, if you have complaints, go to the Supreme Court,’” the relative added.

Where is Rukhshona Hakimova's 230,000 somonis?

The residence of Ahmadsho Komilzoda, the former deputy chairman of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan, on the outskirts of Dushanbe, has also been vacated. Neighbors said that on April 14, representatives of the Enforcement Service gave Komilzoda’s relatives just three days to vacate the house. On April 16, Radio Ozodi reporters found no one at Komilzoda’s residence to ask for a comment.

Shahnoz Komilzoda, Ahmadsho Komilzoda’s daughter, told Radio Ozodi in February, after the court’s ruling was announced, that her father had no property. “The house that the court has decided to seize belongs to my mother,” she said.

None of the relatives of the convicted individuals have openly commented on this issue.  Representatives of the Enforcement Service also requested a letter for clarification on the matter on April 16. Relatives of some of the prominent figures, on the condition of anonymity, said they would file complaints against the property seizure decision.

According to a source from Radio Ozodi, Shokirjon Hakimov, the deputy chairman of the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan, who had only one apartment in a high-rise building, was excluded from the property seizure as it was the only shelter for his family.

Journalist Rukhshona Hakimova was renting a place in Dushanbe and did not have any property to be seized.  Nearly 230,000 somonis, which were in Rukhshona Hakimova's bank account, have been seized by the authorities, and the future of these funds remains unclear.

According to information received by Radio Ozodi, on the evening of April 16, representatives of the authorities went to the residences of Abdulfaiz Atoi, the former spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Dushanbe, and demanded that the houses be vacated within three days.  Atoi’s daughters and grandchildren had been living there. “Representatives of the authorities came in the evening and demanded that the house be vacated in three days. The children were terrified,” a source told Radio Ozodi.

Nothing is known about the seizure of the property of generals Nuramin Ghanizoda and Jamshed Boyev. The defense attorneys had previously stated that a property seizure order had also been issued for all those convicted in the "coup" case.

A group of former politicians, officials, and one journalist was sentenced to prison terms ranging from 8 to 27 years in February on charges of "treason" and "attempted coup."  They consider the charges baseless and have asked the authorities to review the verdict and cancel the property seizure decision.

On April 2, the Supreme Court of Tajikistan upheld the verdict for nine individuals in the "coup" case.  Afterward, the court's ruling was enforced."