Oct 15, 2021
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is alarmed by the government of Tajikistan’s treatment of 70-year-old Jehovah’s Witness Shamil Khakimov, who is serving an excessively harsh prison sentence for alleged extremism for peacefully practicing his faith and reportedly worsening in health especially without proper medical attention. This treatment further demonstrates why the U.S. Department of State should redesignate Tajikistan as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and lift the national security waiver which prevents the United States from imposing appropriate sanctions against violators of religious freedom.
“The government of Tajikistan’s shocking treatment of Shamil Khakimov amounts to a death sentence for peaceful religious practice,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Nury Turkel, who advocates for Shamil Khakimov through USCIRF’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience (RPOC) Project. “Khakimov’s health is rapidly deteriorating, but Tajikistani authorities have refused repeated requests by the United Nations Human Rights Committee for his immediate release and access to adequate medical treatment in accordance with the Mandela Rules. Such atrocious violations cannot be tolerated if Tajikistan has any interest in improving its record on religious freedom. USCIRF urges the U. S. government to sanction Tajikistani prison officials responsible for these atrocities.”
Khakimov has high blood pressure and was still recovering from major surgery at the time of his arrest on February 26, 2019. His leg that was operated on is now covered with open sores and is worsening. Tajikistani prisons are notoriously harsh, with torture and inhumane conditions widely documented. Khakimov has reportedly shown symptoms of COVID-19 and his general health remains dire. In addition to his physical suffering, Khakimov is under severe emotional distress due to the death of his son in September. His son was the only visitor allowed to see him, and Khakimov was not permitted to attend his funeral in further violation of UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (known as the Mandela Rules).
“Such flagrant abuse of ‘extremism’ charges is sadly typical of Tajikistan and only reinforces the need for the U.S. State Department to again redesignate Tajikistan as a Country of Particular Concern,” said USCIRF Commissioner Tony Perkins. “More importantly, the U.S. government should remove the national security waiver, which negates any punitive consequences resulting from that designation. The waiver only enables the Rahmon regime to abuse religious freedom under the guise of security, which risks diminishing the perceived threat of real violent extremism among the population. USCIRF firmly believes that this is an ineffective long-term strategy for countering violent extremism.”
Since 2012, USCIRF has recommended that the State Department designate Tajikistan a CPC in response to the government’s increasing repression following the passage of a strict religion law in 2009. The State Department followed this recommendation in 2016 and has designated Tajikistan a CPC every year since.
USCIRF recently spoke about the Tajikistani government’s widespread misuse of extremism laws in an episode of the Spotlight podcast, and has previously reported on religious freedom abuses in Tajikistan as well as its treatment of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In its 2021 Annual Report, USCIRF again recommended that the U.S. government designate Tajikistan as a “country of particular concern” for its systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.
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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Uzbekistan
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 6 Years' Imprisonment + 18 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Sentencing: March/2/2004
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Association
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Treason & Sedition
Dilrukh Isakov
Extra Bio Info:
Dilrukh Isakov is imprisoned in relation to his religious belief and activity.
On March 2, 2004, the Sabir Rakhimov District Court in Tashkent sentenced Isakov to six years in prison for “attempts to overthrow the constitutional order” (Art. 159 UCC) and an unspecified subsection of Article 244 UCC. He was originally arrested on suspicion of being a member of the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir organization. The date of his arrest was unspecified.
On September 17, 2008, the Navoi Region Court sentenced Isakov to an additional 18 years in prison for "organizing a criminal group" (Art. 242 UCC), “attempts to overthrow the constitutional order” (Art. 159 UCC), and an unspecified subsection of Article 244 UCC. Isakov was denied proper access to counsel.
Sources:
Additional Name(s): Abror Abduganievich Akhmedov
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Uzbekistan
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 7 Years' Imprisonment + 18 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Sentencing: January/23/2003
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Treason & Sedition
Abror Akhmedov
Extra Bio Info:
Abror Akhmedov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On January 23, 2003, the Qashqadaryo Region Court sentenced Akhmedov to seven years in prison for “attempts to overthrow the constitutional order” (Art. 159 UCC) and an unspecified subsection of Article 244 UCC.
On September 17, 2008, the Navoi Region Court resentenced Akhmedov to 18 years in prison for "organizing a criminal group" (Art. 242 UCC), “attempts to overthrow the constitutional order” (Art. 159 UCC) and an unspecified subsection of Article 244 UCC, despite no evidence of involvement in criminal activity prior to his 2003 arrest or while in prison. The court invoked Article 34 to declare him a “recidivist” and lengthen his sentence.