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Tajikistan Detains Opposition Activist Ergashev for Two Months

Tajik opposition activist Dilmurod Ergashev, formerly of the Group of 24, was detained and arrested in Dushanbe for two months. This was reported to Radio Ozodi by Sharofiddin Gadoev, leader of the Movement for Reforms and Development of Tajikistan, citing sources. However, Tajik authorities have not officially confirmed the information. Gadoev stated that Ergashev was brought to Dushanbe on a flight from Istanbul on the morning of November 7 and handed over to local law enforcement immediately upon arrival. The next day, the Sino District Court in Dushanbe, in a closed session, ordered his provisional detention for two months. When contacted, the Sino District Court claimed it had no information on Ergashev's case and advised journalists to submit an official inquiry. Gadoev alleges that Ergashev is currently held in Tajikistan's GKNB pre-trial detention center, where he is reportedly denied access to a lawyer and legal assistance. This information could not be independently verified, and the press office of the Tajik Interior Ministry also stated it was not involved in the case. The 40-year-old opposition activist was deported from Germany on November 6. According to his lawyer and friends, Ergashev attempted to harm himself by slitting his veins as police prepared to escort him to Düsseldorf Airport. However, following medical treatment, the deportation proceeded. Ergashev, who had lived in Germany for 13 years, was detained on October 28 in the town of Kleve and taken to a local administrative court, which ordered his deportation to Tajikistan. His lawyers contend that the court overlooked his pending application for political asylum, still under review by another judicial authority. Since 2015, dozens of Tajik citizens opposing their government have sought asylum in Europe, particularly in Poland and Germany. In recent years, the EU has deported several of these individuals, including Abdullo Shamsiddin, Bilol Kurbonaliev, and Farrukh Ikromov. Abdullo Shamsiddin, the son of Shamsiddin Saidov—a banned Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) activist—received a seven-year prison sentence, while Bilol Kurbonaliev, another Group 24 member, was sentenced to ten years in prison. Farrukh Ikromov, deported from Poland, received a 23-year sentence. Another activist, Hizbullo Shovalizoda, an IRPT member extradited from Austria in 2020, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in Tajikistan.

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Kyrgyz Police Claim to Have Foiled Another Seizure of Power

Operational services from Kyrgyzstan's Interior Ministry have detained alleged organizers of mass riots accused of plotting a violent seizure of power, according to a statement. The Main Department of Criminal Investigation received intelligence about a group preparing to destabilize the socio-political situation in the country. Reportedly, the group had a clear division of roles, including organizers, accomplices, financiers, and executors. The plan allegedly involved using sports events in the suburbs of Bishkek as a cover to spread anti-constitutional slogans and incite violence on November 17, the day of elections to local councils. The Interior Ministry has opened a criminal case under several articles, including charges related to preparing for mass riots and attempting to seize power. During the investigation, multiple suspects were detained, including foreign nationals and individuals who had participated in armed conflicts outside Kyrgyzstan. Authorities seized a range of equipment from the detainees, including a grenade, ammunition, drones, and a thermal imager. Among those detained is a former deputy prosecutor general of Kyrgyzstan, who, according to investigators, financed and coordinated the group. Searches of a warehouse linked to the suspects revealed supplies intended for the rioters, including alcoholic beverages and ingredients for cooking pilaf. The detainees face charges under multiple articles of the Kyrgyz Criminal Code, including forming an organized group, financing criminal activities, and participating in armed conflicts abroad. The court has ordered that they remain in custody until January 10, 2025. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to identify additional members and organizers of the group. Kyrgyzstan has faced multiple coup attempts and incidents of mass unrest in recent years. In July 2024, the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) reported preventing an attempted power seizure by detaining a group accused of planning mass riots to destabilize the country. In June 2023, the GKNB detained more suspects in a coup plot. In May 2024, mass riots erupted in Bishkek after a conflict between residents and foreign students, resulting in 15 injuries and the detention of 29 individuals.

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Former Top Prosecutor in Kyrgyzstan is Detained

Kyrgyzstan´s former deputy prosecutor general has been arrested and will be held in pretrial detention until Jan. 10, media reported on Tuesday. Kuban Adyl uulu, who was dismissed from his job in April, faces charges including alleged involvement in organized crime and efforts to incite unrest and seize power by violent means, Kaktus.media reported without elaborating. Similar charges have been brought in other cases in Kyrgyzstan, including against media workers, in what critics describe as a heavyhanded way to maintain control and stamp out dissent. The government often warns citizens against spreading disinformation that could destabilize society. Kaktus.media attributed information about Adyl uulu´s arrest to unidentified sources in law enforcement and a district court in Bishkek. Other media outlets in Kyrgyzstan issued similar reports. Vesti.kg reported that several other people were also detained. Adyl uulu was fired as part of a reshuffle of the leadership, including anti-corruption officers, in the prosecutor general’s office that was ordered by President Sadyr Japarov. In the days prior to the dismissal, the president had reprimanded the prosecutor general and the natural resources minister over the alleged interference of subordinates in the activities of the ministry’s licensing commission. Japarov has said that fighting corruption is a priority, though watchdog groups say graft remains entrenched in Kyrgyzstan.

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Chechen Leader Kadyrov Denies Involvement in Attack on Allamjonov

On October 26 Uzbek media reported an attack on the former head of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's information department, Komil Allamjonov. At around 1:40a.m., near his home in Tashkent’s Kibray district, two unidentified individuals fired several shots at the car he was in before fleeing. Fortunately, no one was injured. The weapon type remains unknown. Authorities have opened an attempted murder case and are searching for the suspects. However, the General Prosecutor’s Office has not confirmed whether Allamjonov was specifically targeted in the incident. Some opposition media have suggested a “Chechen connection” implicating Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov in the attack on Allamjonov. In response, Kadyrov denied involvement, stating that the media attributed the incident to him. “I don’t want to respond to this provocative leak. Moreover, work in all spheres, including information and law enforcement, is excellently organized in Uzbekistan thanks to the wise policy of the respected President Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev. I will only add that if I had really planned something, I would have completed it and with a 100% result,” he stated. Kadyrov emphasized the close ties between Chechens and Uzbeks, describing them as “brotherly peoples with a common historical past.” He added: “I regard this information leak as a tool of political play by some third parties and a clear attempt to sow discord between our countries. I am sure that other publications in the style of Western fakes will follow. Be that as it may, my dear brothers in Uzbekistan and I will definitely find out who is behind this provocative information leak.” The General Prosecutor’s Office stated that the investigation is ongoing, and promised further updates.

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Tajik Activist Ergashev Tried to Commit Suicide Before Deportation from Germany, Reports Associate

Tajik opposition activist Dilmurod Ergashev has attempted suicide before his expected deportation from Germany to Tajikistan. The Insider reports this quoting Ergashev's associate, Sharofiddin Gadoev. According to Gadoev, Ergashev was found in his deportation prison cell with wounds on his stomach, body, and arms, as well as slashed veins. He was taken to a hospital, where he received stitches. “Ergashev realizes that returning to Tajikistan would mean imminent reprisals and repression from Emomali Rahmon's regime. He would rather die than fall into the hands of a regime known for its cruelty to political opponents,” Gadoev said. Gadoev's Reform and Development of Tajikistan movement appealed to the international community and human rights organizations to intervene to prevent Ergashev's deportation. “We demand that the German authorities reconsider their decision and grant Dilmurod Ergashev the protection he deserves as a political refugee. The activist's fate should not be held hostage to bureaucratic decisions. This is a critical moment when the international community must demonstrate unity and determination in defending the rights of those fighting for freedom and justice in their countries,” the statement said. The Times of Central Asia wrote earlier that the deportation order was issued by the Kleve administrative court on October 28, shortly after the activist was detained. The court ordered Ergashev to be deported by November 7, despite his application for political asylum, which is still pending in another court. Ergashev actively opposes the regime of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and is a member of the opposition Group of 24. He joined the Reform and Development of Tajikistan movement in 2024 and has lived in Germany for 13 years.

Kazakhstan Working On a Bill to Ban Quadrobers

Mazhilis deputy Daulet Mukayev has said Kazakhstan is working on a bill to ban quadrobers. The spread of this hobby, where young people imitate animals, could have a detrimental effect on the younger generation, he stated. “In 2024, quadrobics has undergone a major change. While it used to be more like a sporting challenge, now quadrobers wear animal masks, tails, and paws. If we don't take action, we risk losing a whole generation,” Mukayev said in response to journalists' inquiries to the Telegram channel, Buzyq. Mukayev emphasized that the problem is also a concern in other countries, and parents, society, and the state should work together to solve it. The deputy added that the development of legislative measures and strengthening control over social networks has already begun. However, the deputy did not give precise information about the agencies that initiated this bill. A request for a comment was sent to the Mazhilis press service, which replied that they had not yet received such a piece of legislation. Earlier, Mukayev had characterized quadrobers as a potentially dangerous social phenomenon and called for a study into the phenomenon, stating that the Mazhilis would develop laws against quadrobing if necessary. However, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Culture considers quadrobics a temporary fad and stated that its main task remains to ensure the safety of teenagers who participate in this trend. Quadrobics is an unofficial sport in which participants move on all fours and imitate the habits of animals in costumes. The movement has already been seen in Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine. Recent cases of this behavior have also been reported in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where a teenager wearing an animal mask scared passersby on October 10. The next day, another quadrober imitating a dog attacked passengers on public transport, scaring children. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that the Kyrgyz authorities are trying to curb the growing interest of teenagers in quadrobics. Uzbekistan is also taking steps to control the issue, where parents are being warned of fines for inappropriate behavior by teenagers. In Russia, the issue of administrative responsibility for parents who do not take responsibility for the upbringing of their children who become overtly interested in quadrobics has also been raised. The problem has not yet been resolved, but a request to the State Duma has requested fines and criminal liability for such actions. In addition, Gennady Shkil, a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church, suggested in a sermon that fathers and mothers of quadrobers should be deprived of parental rights. Shkil stated that “tough measures” are needed “for the salvation of mankind.”