Civil Rights - The Times Of Central Asia

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Deported Tajik Opposition Activist Ikromov Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison

Tajik opposition activist Farrukh Ikromov, who had sought asylum in Europe, was deported from Poland to Tajikistan in April and subsequently sentenced to 23 years in prison in Dushanbe. Opposition sources have now informed Radio Ozodi of Ikromov's sentencing, though the Tajik authorities have not issued any official statement on the matter. According to Abdusattor Boboev, head of the Polish-based Citizens' Committee for the Rescue of Political Prisoners in Tajikistan, Ikromov was transferred from a Dushanbe pre-trial detention center to prison in October. Another activist, Saidiskhok Boboev, corroborated this information, stating that a recently released prisoner saw Ikromov and confirmed his 23-year sentence. Ikromov’s relatives, who reside abroad, lack detailed information about his sentencing. A close family member explained that they receive occasional updates about his status through a relative in Tajikistan. Ikromov’s deportation followed the denial of his asylum request in Poland. After this initial denial, He sought protection in Germany, but he was returned to Poland, where he was placed in a migrant detention center before being deported to Tajikistan. According to Abdusattor Boboev, shortly before his deportation, he reported being unexpectedly photographed, after which all contact with him ceased. Ikromov also participated in protests against Tajik President Emomali Rahmon's visit to Germany in September 2023. Opposition activists had expressed concern that if deported to Tajikistan, Ikromov would face mistreatment and a lengthy prison term. In recent years, several EU countries, including Germany, have complied with Tajikistan’s requests to extradite political activists, many of whom have subsequently received lengthy prison sentences. International human rights organizations have sharply criticized these actions. The Times of Central Asia previously reported on another Tajik activist, Dilmurod Ergashev, whose deportation from Germany was ordered by the Kleve administrative court on October 28, shortly after he was detained. The court ruled that Ergashev should be deported despite his pending application for political asylum before another court. Prior to his anticipated deportation, Ergashev attempted suicide. Ergashev, a member of the opposition Group of 24, has opposed the regime of Rahmon and joined the Reform and Development of Tajikistan movement in 2024. He has resided in Germany for 13 years.

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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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Turkmenistan Forces Government Employees to Surrender Passports

Employees of state institutions in Turkmenistan are being forced to surrender their biometric passports. According to local sources, the migration service has been instructed to collect passports within a week and submit a report to the State Migration Service in Ashgabat. Workers from the education, healthcare, transportation and other sectors must surrender their passports, or provide a certificate to prove that they do not possess one. The requirement was verbally sent to state agencies in the country's Balkan region on September 9, and enforcement began immediately. “The heads of local organizations have announced to their employees: 'Either hand in your passports or don't come to work from tomorrow afternoon.' Even chief doctors at clinics and school directors must hand in their passports,” a state employee in the town of Turkmenbashi said. Attempts to get comments from the authorities on the measure -- which coincides with an increase in the number of citizens traveling abroad -- were unsuccessful. In addition, as the number of Turkmenistanis joining Russia's army in its war in Ukraine increases, passports have also been taken away from university students. In late August, students of the Turkmen State Pedagogical Institute and the Turkmen State Medical University were forced to surrender their biometric documents.