On June 8, the media reported that former bailiff and lawyer Saidnuriddin Shamsiddinov, already sentenced in December 2020 to eight and a half years in prison for fraud, illegal land transactions and the dissemination of false information, is accused of cooperation with the political movement “Group 24” banned in Tajikistan.
At the same time, the lawyer of the accused Shamsiddinov, Faizi Oli, stated that his client had never contacted the political movement “Group 24”, and wrote only to the website of the President of Tajikistan about the arbitrariness of local authorities and unfair courts in the regions.
We, the political movement “Group 24” in turn, also confirm Shamsiddinov’s words and officially declare: he never addressed us, we had no common affairs and in general this person has nothing to do with our movement!
Once again, we are convinced that the authorities are concerned about the increased popularity of our movement, it is enough to recall the events in March this year in Istaravshan city, when three schoolchildren who watched our videos on YouTube were detained. As a result, everyone was punished: from schoolchildren and their parents to the head of education of the city, who lost his post.
And now, apparently, the authorities need a demonstration and educational process to once again recall what will happen for cooperation with the movement banned in the country. And with these charges and the initiation of a new criminal case against Saidnuriddin Shamsiddinov, Rakhmonov’s tempers decided to “kill two hares at once”: to remind society that severe punishment awaits for any ties with the political movement “Group 24” and show that the authorities will find a way to silence any justice fighter who does not want to come to terms with his participation, admit his guilt and quietly serve his term.
There is simply no other explanation for the allegations made in connection with the Group of 24 against Shamsiddinov, since these allegations are completely groundless.
Political movement “Group 24”
