Lawyers of alleged participants of last year’s events in Khorog claim judicial violations

The trail of two alleged participants of last year’s events in Khorog, the capital of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) – Dimon Ashourov and Sherik Karamkhudoyev – began in the Supreme Court on April 8.

Defendants’ lawyers say the trial began with violation of procedural rules.

Dimon Ashourov’s defense lawyer, Shuhrat Qudratov, says that Mr. Justice Nouriddin Rasoulov, presiding over the trial, has not allowed him meeting with his client.  “The judge stated, “What if he attempts to commit suicide after your visit?” said Qudratov.  “I did not understand what he meant.”

According to Qudratov, he challenged the judge on April 8.  Qudratov also solicited for holding the trial in Khorog because the defendants are charged with crimes that were allegedly committed in Khorog, but this solicitation was refused.

“Besides, as far as we know, no investigation into last year’s events was carried out, and therefore, there is no a full picture of what happened in Khorog last July.  Investigators have only the defendants’ confessions but the defendants say the confessions were wrested from them under physical and moral pressure.  There are no any other proofs to support charges brought against the defendants,” Qudratov said.

Qudratov added that his client admitted only the charge of illegal possession of weapons.  Meanwhile, Dimon Ashourov is charged with fraud, document forgery, illegal possession of weapons, organizing a criminal grouping, using violence against a representative of authorities and escape from custody.

Ms. Zebo Qosimova, the defense lawyer of Sherik Karamkhudoyev, says her client faces charges of organizing a criminal group; illegally possessing weapons, participating in mass disorders and using violence against a representative of authorities.

Sherik Karamkhudoyev is the head of the Islamic Revival Party (IRP)’s organization in Khorog and IRP reported Sherik Karamkhudoyev as missing on July 24, 2012, when government forces launched a massive military operation in Khorog against what it called “militants” following the murder of the regional security chief on July 21, 2012.

Two weeks after his disappearance, Karamkhudoyev was revealed to be held in the detention facility of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) in Dushanbe.  A statement released by Freedom House notes that according to a reliable report, Karamkhudoyev has been subjected to torture while in detention.

Tajik law enforcement authorities claim that Karamkhudoyev allegedly collaborated with Imomnazar Imomnazarov, who was murdered by unknown assailants in his home in Khorog on August 22.

Sherik Karamkhudoyev says he was hiding in the garret of one of residential buildings in Khorog when a special operation was launched in the city on July 24 and he then voluntarily surrendered to the authorities on July 29.

Since this case is classified as “secret”, the trial is being held behind closed doors.

We will recall that two residents of Khorog – Oqil Ayombekov and Hamza Murodov – got long jail terms in February this year for killing regional security chief Abdullo Nazarov.  On February 28, the Khorog court sentenced Oqil Ayombekov and Hamza Murodov to 17 and 16 years in prison respectively.  The sentence followed their conviction on charges of murder (Article 104 (2) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code), weapon embezzlement (Article 194 (4), and use of violence against a representative of authorities (Article 328 (2).  The sessions were held behind closed doors.

The clashes began in Khorog on July 24, 2012 when government forces launched a military operation against what it called “militants” following the murder of the regional security chief Abdullo Nazarov, who was stabbed to death on July 21, 2012.  The operation lasted for several weeks.

The authorities blamed Tolib Ayombekov, a former warlord from the civil war who had been deputy chief of border unit in the Ishkashim district until recently, for the murder of the regional security chief Abdullo Nazarov.  Hundreds of troops have reportedly poured into Khorog to hunt down Ayombekov.  Authorities also accused Ayombekov of drug-trading and smuggling tobacco and precious stones.

Tolib Ayombekov denied the accusations and said the government used Nazarov's death as a pretext for cementing its grip over Gorno Badakhshan.

Oqil Ayombekov, who is the brother of Tolib Ayombekov, and Hamza Murodov surrendered to the authorities in late July.

Tolib Ayombekov himself surrendered to the authorities on August 12.

Another former filed commander of the United Tajik Opposition (UTO) in Gorno Badakhshan, Imomnazar Imomnazarov, was murdered by unknown assailants in his home in Khorog on August 22.