UN expert alarmed over prosecution of Tajikistan journalist and rights defender News
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UN expert alarmed over prosecution of Tajikistan journalist and rights defender

UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Mary Lawlor expressed concern Wednesday over the conviction of journalist Rukhshona Khakimova, calling on the government of Tajikistan to release her and grant a fair retrial.

Lawlor said: “Rukhshona Khakimova’s trial appears to have fallen short of international fair trial standards.” The special rapporteur argued the possibility of Khakimova being targeted for her work as a human rights defender rather than under proper charges. The special rapporteur claimed: “Without taking a position on the charges, I stress that if they are valid, they must be supported by clear evidence and tested in a fair and transparent trial, in line with international standards.” 

Earlier this year, Khakimova, an investigative journalist and member of the National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan, was sentenced by the Supreme Court of Tajikistan to eight years in prison on treason charges. During her detention, there was no public record of what she was accused or convicted of, as secrecy surrounded the case. The charges, which were issued in July 2024, are allegedly connected to the public survey she conducted on China’s influence in Tajikistan.

In January, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called for Tajik authorities the drop charges against Khakimova. Syinat Sultanalieva, Central Asia researcher at HRW, insisted that “journalists should not face criminal charges for doing their work” and that Tajik authorities should guarantee a fair trial if they have credible evidence. The arrest of Khakimova separated her from two young children, leaving her family in a vulnerable financial situation. The journalist is currently in isolation, as she is denied parcels and visits.

Lawlor expressed serious concerns, as treatment similar to the one received by Khakimova might deter women from pursuing journalistic and human rights work.

The sentencing of Khakimova is the latest incident in a long line of systematic legal actions taken by Tajik authorities against journalists. In 2018, HRW reported on a “draconian” sentencing of a journalist to 12 years in prison on “bogus” charges. HRW also shared in 2018 that over 150 political activists remained unjustly jailed and that at least 20 journalists fled the country at the time. Last year, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Tajik authorities to drop bribery charges against the chief editor of an independent newspaper, Ahmad Ibrohim. CPJ reported that in 2022 and 2023, Tajik authorities sentenced seven journalists for their work to prison terms from seven to 20 years, leading to criticism and concern among UN experts.

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