Shamil Khakimov

Extra Bio Info:

Shamil Khakimov was imprisoned for his religious activity.

On February 26, 2019, authorities arrested Khakimov reportedly under suspicion that he was leading Khujand's Jehovah's Witness community. Khakimov's arrest followed police raids on Jehovah's Witness homes in late January and early February 2019 after police stopped two Jehovah's Witnesses who had been sharing their faith with a passer-by in public. Before being arrested, Khakimov was summoned to the police station on February 1, 2019, and interrogated. During this time, his home was searched and his belongings were seized.

On September 10, 2019, the Khujand City Court sentenced Khakimov to seven years and six months in prison for “inciting religious hatred” (Art. 189 (2) TCC).  The court also imposed a three-year ban on his religious activity after he completes his sentence.

On October 9, 2019, Khakimov's appeal was rejected.

In December 2020, the government decriminalized the offense under which Khakimov had been convicted.

In March 2021, Khakimov's original sentence was reduced by two years, three months, and ten days. He was informed via letter that his term was commuted as a result of Tajikistan’s amnesty law.

In September 2021, Khakimov's only son - and the only visitor allowed to see Khakimov in prison - died. Khakimov was not permitted to attend his funeral.

On September 9, 2021, Khakimov's sentence was reduced another year.

On November 2, 2022, a judge reportedly rejected Khakimov's request to be transferred to a specialized hospital for urgent medical treatment.

As of November 2022, Khakimov's health condition remains dire. Khakimov's health has severely deteriorated while in prison with authorities consistently denying and delaying medical care. At the time of his arrest, he was still recovering from major surgery on his leg which later developed serious open sores. Khakimov showed symptoms of COVID-19 in December 2020. Shamil has become blind in his right eye and has severely lost vision out of his left eye. He also suffers from various ailments that threaten his life without specialized medical treatment, including heart disease (left ventricular hypertrophy), atherosclerosis of the legs, varicose veins in his lower extremities, post-thrombotic syndrome in both legs, a trophic ulcer on his left foot, and early stages of gangrene. Moreover, Khakimov experienced severe emotional distress due to the death of his son.

On February 15, 2023, the Sugd Regional Court rejected Khakimov's appeal to be transferred to a specialized hospital for medical treatment. 

On May 16, 2023, Khakimov was released from prison after completing his sentence. 

Prison administration reportedly pressured Khakimov to renounce his faith by refusing to submit his petition for a presidential pardon.