The trial of civic activist and journalist Ulfathonim Mamadshoeva and her ex-husband, an officer of the State Committee for National Security Kholbash Kholbashev, who are called by the authorities “the organizers of the May rallies in GBAO”, is nearing completion. The state prosecutor demanded a sentence of life imprisonment for Kholbashev, and 25 years for Mamadshoeva.
The trial is being held behind closed doors in the pre-trial detention center of the State Committee for National Security in the center of the capital. The case investigation, which was classified, was carried out by employees of the Prosecutor General’s Office and the State Committee for National Security.
Ulfathonim Mamadshoeva was detained on May 18 by security forces in Dushanbe. She is charged under 8 articles of the country’s criminal code, including public calls to overthrow the government.
Kholbash Kholbashev is charged with 11 crimes, including organizing a criminal community, murder, attempted murder, terrorism, etc. The former officer of the Tajik border troops was also detained on May 18 on charges of organizing protests in Rushan. During a special operation by the authorities in GBAO, 78 residents of the Rushan district were arrested and taken to Dushanbe.
On May 19, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan issued a message accusing Ulfathonim Mamadshoeva, Kholbash Kholbashev, and Alim Sherzamonov, deputy chairman of the National Alliance of Tajikistan, who is wanted, of organizing riots in GBAO.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs said that “on May 17-18, members of the organized criminal group of the Rushansky district, consisting of 200 people, were provided with weapons and ammunition under the leadership and funding of Sherzamonov and his accomplices Kholbash Kholbashev and Ulfathonim Mamadshoeva.”
According to the law enforcement agency, as a result of the special operation, “8 militants were killed, 11 wounded, 114 members of the terrorist group were detained, 8 people are wanted. Were seized 24 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 5 machine guns, 18 pistols of various brands, 4 TOZ-18 rifles, 11 F-1 hand grenades, 86 Molotov Cocktail bottles, 3 kg of TNT, 15 walkie-talkies, and 53 telephones.
Meanwhile, Rushan residents report 21 dead, whose bodies were given to them for burial on May 19.
