Photo: avesta.tj
The First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court of Tajikistan, Shavkat Lutfullozoda, told reporters that most of the defendants in the case of the attempted coup in the country were convicted on charges of treason and violent seizure of power. The official shared these details at a press conference in Dushanbe, Asia-Plus reports.
According to the Supreme Court representative, the investigation materials contain evidence indicating that the defendants’ actions were aimed at treason and the violent overthrow of the government. Lutfullozoda, who presided over the trial, clarified that the case was reviewed with the participation of lay judges. However, as he added, since the court proceedings were held behind closed doors, the law prohibits disclosing further details.
At the same time, the deputy head of the Supreme Court listed the articles of the Criminal Code under which the main defendants were convicted. Former Foreign Minister of Tajikistan, Hamrokhon Zarifi, was sentenced to 27 years in prison after being found guilty on multiple charges:
✅ Treason (Part 1, Article 305 of the Criminal Code);
✅ Violent seizure of power (Part 1, Article 306);
✅ Insulting a government official online (Part 2, Article 330);
✅ Knowingly false report of a serious or especially serious crime (Clause «a,» Part 2, Article 346);
✅ Negligence (Part 1, Article 322).
In addition to the prison sentence, Zarifi was ordered to pay a fine of 250 calculation indicators—10,000 somoni ($922)—to the state.
Former leader of the Democratic Party and ex-member of parliament, Saidjafar Usmonzoda, also received a 27-year sentence. In addition to treason and violent seizure of power, he was convicted of:
✅ Inciting social, racial, national, regional, or religious discord (Part 2, Article 189);
✅ Participation in the activities of an «extremist organization» (Part 2, Article 307-3);
✅ Fraud on an especially large scale (Part 4, Article 247).
It was also clarified that retired Colonel of the State Security Committee, Jamshid Boboev, was sentenced to 21 years in prison—not 18 years, as previously reported by the media.
Similarly, incorrect information had been published regarding former Democratic Party deputy chairman Ahmadshoh Komilzoda. In reality, he was sentenced to 19 years in prison.
Other sentences included:
✅ 18 years in prison for former Supreme Court Chairman Akbarshoh Iskandarov, Social Democratic Party deputy chairman Shokirjon Hakimov, and retired KGB Colonel Nurahmad Ganizoda.
The verdict was announced at a hearing in the Dushanbe detention center on February 5. Thus, the ruling will come into force on February 15.
The first hearing in the coup attempt case was held on November 14, 2024. At that session, the defense's request to move the trial to an open courtroom was denied. The defense insisted on a public hearing, but the judge ruled to continue the proceedings behind closed doors at the detention facility.
Previously, Tajikistan’s Prosecutor General, Yusuf Rahmon, stated that Zarifi, Iskandarov, Komilzoda, and Hakimov were «in close contact» with Saidjafar Usmonzoda, who was arrested in June 2024 on charges of attempting to violently seize power.
On February 5, the court ruled that all defendants were guilty, with most receiving long prison sentences.
