Defendants accused of attempting a coup in Tajikistan
At a court hearing in Dushanbe on January 8, prosecutors requested prison sentences ranging from 20 to 30 years for those accused of attempting to seize power and committing treason, Asia-Plus reported, citing sources.
The prosecutor sought the maximum sentence of 30 years for Saidzhaffar Usmonzoda, a member of parliament and former chairman of Tajikistan’s Democratic Party, as well as for Hamrokhon Zarifi, the former foreign minister.
A 23-year sentence was requested for Akbarshoh Iskandarov, a former chairman of the Supreme Council, Abdulfaiz Atoi, a former senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ahmadshoh Komilzoda, a former deputy chairman of the Democratic Party.
Shokirjon Hakimov, a lawyer and first deputy chairman of Tajikistan’s Social Democratic Party, faces a potential 20-year sentence.
The trial is being held behind closed doors at a detention facility operated by Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS). The first session took place on November 14, during which the court rejected defense attorneys' motions to move the trial to an open courtroom. The judge ruled to continue proceedings in the secured SCNS facility, despite defense calls for a public hearing.
Authorities have disclosed few details about the trial, citing the sensitive nature of the case. Relatives of the accused have also reported being kept in the dark about the trial’s progress.
Prosecutor General Yusuf Rahmon previously stated that Zarifi, Iskandarov, Komilzoda, and Hakimov were in close contact with Saidzhaffar Usmonzoda. Usmonzoda, the former Democratic Party chairman and parliamentarian, was arrested in June 2024 on charges of attempting a violent seizure of power.
The Tajik government has not elaborated on the specifics of the charges or the evidence against the defendants, maintaining that the proceedings are classified.
