Saidnuriddin Shamsiddinov
Saidnuriddin Shamsiddinov is a lawyer from Tajikistan.[1] In 2020, Shamsiddinov criticized several prosecutors and judges from the Vakhsh District for allegedly participating in illegal activities.[1] He was subsequently arrested by the Tajik authorities.[2] He was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison on many charges at the end of 2020.[1] An additional eight months were added on in November 2021, on the charge of collaboration with a banned political group called Group 24.[1] Both his lawyer [3] and the group [4] denied any connection.
Career
[edit]Until 2017, Shamsiddinov was employed as a bailiff, working in the Khatlon Region.[5] He quit after becoming frustrated with being asked for bribes and started working for a human rights organization.[5]
Arrest and charges
[edit]Shamsiddinov made critical posts alleging illegal activities of government officials.[1] These included Facebook posts alleging corruption from officials and a video that was posted on the YouTube channel of the opposition group National Alliance of Tajikistan.[5]
In December 2020, Shamsiddinov was found guilty of fraud, illegal land sales and spreading false information.[2] The charges also included evasion of child support, despite the fact that all child support payments have been paid, "on time and to the satisfaction of ... [his] ex-wife."[5] The trial evidence also included a confession that Shamsiddinov gave after having undergone torture.[5] Shamsiddinov and his family claimed the charges were "politically motivated".[2] Charging troublesome members of civil society with multiple crimes is a common form of political repression in Tajikistan.[1]
In November 2021, prosecutors further charged Shamsiddinov with having links to Group 24, a banned political organization in Tajikistan.[3] The charges carried a maximum sentence of 10 years;[6] however, he was only sentenced to eight more months.[1]
International response
[edit]The International Partnership for Human Rights included Shamsiddinov in an op-ed they wrote for Eurasia Review on freedom of the press in Tajikistan.[6] They also included him in a report on Tajikistan for Civicus.[7] The nonprofit group Freedom Now and the law firm Proskauer Rose filed a petition on Shamsiddinov's case for the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h "Tajikistan: Human rights activists demand the release of a lawyer convicted for expressing his opinion". ACCA Media. Analytical Center for Central Asia. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
- ^ a b c "Jailed Tajik Lawyer Charged Further With Having Links To Banned Political Group". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
- ^ a b "Prosecutors Seek Additional Seven Years In Prison For Jailed Tajik Lawyer". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
- ^ "Convicted Lawyer Shamsiddinov has nothing to do with the Group of 24 and has never addressed us!". guruhi24.net. Group of 24. 6 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Lhedmat, Adam; Amir Naini; Timothy L. Kelly (21 April 2022). "PETITION TO: UNITED NATIONS WORKING GROUP ON ARBITRARY DETENTION In the Matter of Saidnuriddin Shamsiddinov Citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan" (PDF). Freedom Now. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
- ^ a b "In Jail For A Joke: Stifling Of Independent Voices Continues In Tajikistan – OpEd". Eurasia Review. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
- ^ "ESCALATING TENSIONS & CRACKDOWN ON HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS & JOURNALISTS". Monitor: Tracking Civic Space. Civicus. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.