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Tajik MMA Fighter Chorshanbiev, Imprisoned For Criticizing Authorities, Faces New Charges

In Tajikistan, the well known MMA fighter and prominent blogger Chorshanbe Chorshanbiev, already serving an 8.5-year prison sentence, has been handed an additional four years on new charges. Journalist Anora Sarkorova reported the development on November 18, which was later confirmed by sources at Radio Ozodi. Chorshanbiev, known for criticizing Tajik authorities in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region while residing in Russia, was deported to Tajikistan in December 2021. By May 2022, he was convicted of “public calls for violent change of the constitutional order” and sentenced to 8.5 years in prison. Details of the additional sentence remain unclear, but it is speculated to be related to either violations of prison regulations or involvement in a fight. Recently, Chorshanbiev was transferred from a penal colony in Khujand to a pre-trial detention center in Dushanbe. Chorshanbiev’s legal troubles began in December 2021 when he was deported from Russia for traffic violations. Upon his arrival in Dushanbe, he was arrested, and the Tajik prosecutor's office initiated charges against him, alleging incitement of social and national discord and calls to overthrow the state system. However, during the investigation, the first charge was dropped. His trial garnered significant public attention. Prominent athletes in Russia voiced their support for him, and his defense team argued that the case rested on a single piece of evidence: a video recorded in November 2021. In the video, Chorshanbiev commented on violent clashes in Khorog, during which three people were killed and dozens injured. The prosecution claimed his statements amounted to incitement of protests against the government. A political scientist’s analysis, presented during the trial, characterized Chorshanbiev’s remarks as a call for rebellion. However, his lawyers contested this interpretation and requested a re-evaluation of the video. In court, Chorshanbiev maintained that he had no intention of destabilizing the country. Despite the divided expert opinion, Chorshanbiev was convicted, and his case continues to provoke debate.

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COP29: Tajikistan Goes for Green as Pollution, Climate Change Take Toll

Tajikistan’s longtime president has said his country plans to switch entirely to renewable sources of energy by 2032, though a recent World Bank report warns that climate change is already threatening Tajikistan’s energy and water security, which are key to development. At the United Nations climate conference in Azerbaijan, President Emomali Rahmon said on Tuesday that Tajikistan’s goal was to become a “green” country by 2037, a reference to low carbon and resource efficiency goals. “Today, 98% of our electricity is produced by hydropower, and Tajikistan's share in the amount of greenhouse gas emissions is small” compared to many other countries, said Rahmon, who has been in power since 1994. “However, achieving the above goals requires a lot of effort and money from us.” He told delegates at the COP29 meeting in Baku that Tajikistan is cooperating with development partners, “especially global financial institutions.” In a report released last week, the World Bank cautioned that Tajikistan’s growth model has “reached its limits” despite robust economic development and poverty reduction in the last two decades. It said domestic institutions are weak, the private sector is underdeveloped and Tajikistan’s economic aspirations will be on hold unless it implements structural reforms. “Degraded agricultural land, along with risks of increasing water scarcity, raises major risks to the productivity of crop and livestock sectors, critical to the livelihoods of the majority of Tajiks. Air pollution is rife, with Dushanbe’s measure of particulate matter far exceeding regional averages and other cities affected,” it said. The World Bank acknowledged Tajikistan’s plan to improve infrastructure for hydropower development, clean energy, and water storage to address the challenges of climate change. But it said the effects of global warming, including glacier melting and extended droughts, could undermine development goals and drive an increase in poverty. Tajikistan’s big hope is that the Rogun hydropower plant, which has been under construction since 2007 and is partly operating, can play a transformative role in electricity generation in Tajikistan but also as a clean energy exporter to other countries in Central Asia. The project has faced delays, cost overruns and criticism from environmental and rights groups. The World Bank, one of the international backers of the project, said the success of the Rogun plant, which will have a total generation capacity of 3,780 megawatts, will depend on “enhanced governance and transparency, dedicated supervision support, and a sustainable macroeconomic framework.”

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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.

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Germany Deports Tajik Political Activist Dilmurod Ergashev

Germany has decided to deport Dilmurod Ergashev, a political activist and member of the Movement for Reforms and Development of Tajikistan, who had applied for asylum in Germany. This is despite requests from international human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and the Helsinki Committee not to deport Ergashev because of the risk of him being tortured in Tajikistan. Friends of the activist said Ergashev was told to report to the deportation center and prepare to leave. The activist, who has lived in Germany for the past 13 years, was detained in the town of Kleve on October 28 and taken to the administrative court, where his deportation was ordered. According to associates, the court should have considered that another administrative court was still considering Ergashev's application for political asylum. Sharofiddin Gadoev, leader of the Movement for Reforms and Development, confirmed that the deportation process has already begun. Ergashev is likely to be sent back to Tajikistan on November 6. “The decision to deport Ergashev strengthens the authoritarian system in Tajikistan and increases fear among political activists,” Gadoev said. He said there may be an agreement between Germany and Tajikistan to deport activists forcibly. Ergashev's lawyer has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court but is unavailable for comment. Dozens of Tajik citizens have moved to Europe in recent years, many of whom disagree with their country's policies. Germany has previously deported activists such as Abdullo Shamsiddin and Bilol Kurbonaliev, who were sentenced to long prison terms upon their return home. Also extradited from Austria to Tajikistan in 2020 was Hizbullo Shovalizoda, a member of the banned Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan. He has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

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Tajik-Born Artist Sabina Rosas Found Dead in U.S. Hotel

Sabina Rosas, a 33-year-old artist also known as Sabina Khorramdel, was found murdered in a hotel room in the Hamptons in the state of New York, according to the British tabloid the Daily Mail. Born in Tajikistan, Rosas moved to the U.S. in 2009. Her body was discovered on October 28 by staff at the Shou Sugi Ban House spa hotel. Police suspect her partner, 56-year-old Thomas Gannon, in the murder. Gannon was later found dead at his Pennsylvania home, with authorities confirming he had died by suicide. The couple had been seen together at a spa in Water Mill, where CCTV captured Gannon leaving alone. Suffolk County police have described Rosas’s murder as a domestic incident. In 2023 Rosas co-founded Ruyò Journal, a platform to support Central Asian cultural dialogue and community. Just before her birthday, she started a fundraiser to travel to Portugal, where she planned to host her first artist residency in November. She hoped it would provide a beautiful and inspiring space for creating new work. Announcing her plans, she had said: “I will also launch my artist website to create the perfect digital space to showcase my art." “As I am about to turn 33, I can’t help but laugh at the fact that 33 is often associated with the age of Jesus when he made his final sacrifice. Although I don’t plan on doing anything dramatic, I consider this year a turning point in my life,” Sabina wrote shortly before her death.

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Tajikistan Court Issues Harsh Sentences to Opposition Group 24 Leader and Associate

A Dushanbe court has handed down sentences to two opposition activists: Sukhrob Zafar, leader of the banned Group 24 (G24), and his associate Nasimjon Sharifov. Zafar was sentenced to 30 years and Sharifov to 20 years in prison. The verdict was announced on October 10 behind closed doors in the Dushanbe pre-trial detention center, and according to Radio Ozodi sources, it fully complies with the state prosecution's request. Official structures still need to confirm this information. Representatives of G24 say the sentences relate to the charges of “calls for violent change of the constitutional order” spread through the Internet. They consider these accusations unfounded and call the case politically motivated. In their opinion, the trial was conducted under pressure from the authorities and was a manifestation of Emomali Rahmon's government's repressive policy. Both activists previously lived in Turkey, where they were hiding from the Tajik authorities. Suhrob Zafar had been there since 2014 and had received repeated threats. He was detained several times at Tajikistan's request but was soon released. Sharifov had also been living in Turkey since 2015 and was detained three times but released each time. In March 2024, they mysteriously disappeared, and only in August it became known that they were taken to Dushanbe, where an investigation against them began. The trial, according to G24 representatives, was yet another example of human rights violations and political repression. The organization claims that the trial was held under tremendous pressure and calls the authorities' actions an act of suppression of dissent. Supporters believe that the repression of activists continues as part of the anti-opposition policy that the Tajik authorities have been pursuing for years. G24 is an opposition organization founded in 2012 by businessman Umarali Kuwwatov, who left Tajikistan after conflicts with the authorities. The movement opposes President Emomali Rahmon's policies, accusing him of corruption and authoritarianism. In 2014, Tajikistan's Supreme Court declared the organization extremist after calls for protests and banned its activities, including websites and publications. The group's founder was killed in 2015 in Turkey, raising suspicions of involvement by Tajik authorities.