Tajikistan’s Media Under Siege: Journalists Targeted with Secret Charges and Harsh Sentences

January 28, 2025 – Tajikistan – 

Tajikistan is intensifying its crackdown on independent media, with recent developments marking a dramatic escalation under President Emomali Rahmon’s authoritarian grip. In Dushanbe, investigative journalist Rukhshona Hakimova (31) is facing a closed-door trial on undisclosed charges, reportedly treason, with prosecutors seeking up to 17 years in prison. Meanwhile, Ahmad Ibrohim, a veteran editor of the regional Paik newspaper in Kulob, was sentenced on January 10 to 10 years behind bars for alleged bribery, extortion, and extremism—charges he vehemently denies.

These two cases are part of a broader assault on press freedom. At least eight additional journalists and bloggers already languish in jail after convictions on similarly spurious claims during 2022–2023. Human Rights Watch called Hakimova’s indictment “baseless” and urged the government to drop secret proceedings, while noting that her prosecution typifies ongoing harassment of independent journalists.

Experts and defensive reporters speak of a pervasive climate of fear. Journalists routinely self-censor rather than risk brutal consequences, with many fleeing the profession or leaving the country altogether. The Committee to Protect Journalists and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty also note pervasive harassment—beatings, threats, and equipment confiscation-in pursuit of silencing dissent.

Tajikistan’s judiciary reinforces state control: trials are often secretive, lengthy pre-trial detentions are common, and courts consistently side with government prosecutors. The legal system rarely safeguards defendants’ rights. Transparency is minimal—Hakimova’s case, classified as “secret,” typifies how authorities weaponize legal opacity to intimidate reporters.

The consequences are stark. Independent media, already marginalized, are being eroded further, depriving citizens of reliable information and enabling unchecked state power. The erosion extends from shuttering newsrooms to media workers fleeing abroad.

The international community is urged to act. Calls from Human Rights Watch, CPJ, and UN experts demand that Tajik authorities cease legal harassment of journalists, release those jailed on fabricated charges, and restore media independence. Without such steps, genuine journalism in Tajikistan risks disappearing altogether, replaced by self-censorship under surveillance.

Reference – 

https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-war-journalists-media-freedom/33301728.html

https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/01/28/tajikistan-journalist-faces-prison-undisclosed-charges