On the night of November 27, 2014, an assassination attempt was made on the life of Maksud Ibragimov, the leader of the Youth Organization for the Revival of Tajikistan. Maksud Ibragimov, a member of the leadership council of the “New Tajikistan” Coalition, was actively engaged in political activism and organizing rallies in Russia. These events, which he initiated and which involved participation by Tajik migrants, openly opposed the regime of the Tajik government and called for the resignation of the country’s president. These activities ultimately led to his inclusion on the blacklist of the authoritarian regime in Tajikistan.
Despite the severity of the assassination attempt, which left Maksud Ibragimov hospitalized for over a month and suffering from physical injuries, his resolve to continue his struggle remained unbroken. However, a critical question that remains unanswered to this day is: who orchestrated the attack on Maksud Ibragimov in Russia, and why have the perpetrators not been identified? While the Russian and Tajik authorities were reportedly involved in investigating the incident, no substantive or official findings regarding the individuals responsible or the circumstances surrounding the event have been made public.
Following the assassination attempt and his subsequent physical recovery, Maksud Ibragimov disappeared on January 20, 2015. Four days later, it was revealed that he had been forcibly transferred to Tajikistan and was being held by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Notably, this transfer occurred despite Maksud Ibragimov’s Russian citizenship, raising serious questions about Russia’s complicity in facilitating his extradition to a regime that had been actively persecuting him for political reasons. To date, no official explanation has been provided regarding how Russian authorities permitted this breach of his citizenship rights, or why they failed to protect him. This politically motivated abduction was conducted in flagrant violation of international law.
Subsequently, in an unjust trial, Maksud Ibragimov was sentenced to 17 years of harsh imprisonment on politically motivated charges.
The Youth Organization for the Revival of Tajikistan recognizes this as a blatant violation of human rights and an act of political terrorism. We firmly believe that these actions were carried out under the direct orders of Tajikistan’s president, Emomali Rahmon, who continues to employ violence and intimidation to suppress political opposition.
We call upon the international community, human rights organizations, and global institutions to take urgent action to secure the release of Maksud Ibragimov. The United Nations has repeatedly emphasized in its resolutions that the political persecution of opposition figures violates the principles of international law. Therefore, the arrest and sentencing of Maksud Ibragimov constitute a clear breach of these standards.
We urge the global community to work towards his release, as this is not only a legal necessity but also a critical step in safeguarding human rights and political freedoms in the region.
Respectfully,
The Youth Organization for the Revival of Tajikistan
London, United Kingdom
