Pamiris Jailed | Pamiri Rights Watch

A list of all of the publicly documented detentions of Pamiris in Tajikistan as part of the wider crackdown against the ethnic minority

Since May 2022, Tajik authorities have intensified their repression of Pamiris—an ethnic, linguistic, and religious minority originating from the Pamir Mountains in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) of Tajikistan. Hundreds of Pamiris, including civil activists and human rights defenders, have been arbitrarily arrested. More than 200 of them have been sentenced to imprisonment following unfair trials. All these actions aim to deprive local communities of their leaders and dismantle their civil society. (Amnesty International, 2023)

This list is mainly based on the report compiled by Roof-top info based on the extensive investigations of detainees that have been publicly named. The full report can be accessed at the following link:

https://wechange.de/project/roof-top-info/file/background-information-on-the-situation-in-kh/download/Background-information-on-the-situation-in-Khorugh.pdf

The list is not exhaustive, as more names are added it will be updated.

Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva is a prominent Tajikistani journalist and human rights defender from the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). She has been a vocal advocate for the rights of the Pamiri minority and has worked with various independent media outlets, including Asia Plus and Fergana. In 2021, she founded the NGO "Nomus va Insof," focusing on women's and children's rights.

In May 2022, amid unrest in GBAO following the killing of Gulbiddin Ziyobekov, Mamadshoeva was arrested by Tajik authorities. She was accused of organizing protests in Khorog and charged with multiple offenses, including inciting a violent change of the constitutional order and terrorism. Her trial was held behind closed doors, and in December 2022, she was sentenced to 21 years in prison.

Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and the United Nations Human Rights Council, have condemned her arrest and sentencing as politically motivated, highlighting concerns over the lack of due process and the use of anti-terrorism laws to suppress dissent.
21 Years
16 Years
Manuchehr Kholiknazarov is a prominent human rights lawyer from Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). As director of the Lawyers Association of Pamir (LAP), he has long advocated for victims of human rights abuses and worked to strengthen the rule of law in the region. He also served on Commission 44, a civil society group formed to investigate the 2021 police killing of Gulbiddin Ziyobekov.

On May 28, 2022, Kholiqnazarov was arrested alongside other Commission 44 members and later sentenced to 16 years in prison on charges of participating in a criminal organization and involvement with a banned extremist group. His trial was held behind closed doors, and international human rights organizations have condemned the proceedings as politically motivated and lacking due process.

In recognition of his courage and commitment to human rights, Kholiqnazarov was honored with the 2024 Martin Ennals Award.
Chorshanbe Chorshanbiev is a Pamiri mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter and blogger from Khorog, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).

In December 2021, Chorshanbiev was deported from Russia to Tajikistan under the pretext of a traffic violation. Upon arrival, he was arrested and charged with "public calls for violent change of the constitutional order" and "inciting national and regional hatred," based on his social media posts. In May 2022, he was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison following a closed trial.

In November 2024, he received an additional 4-year sentence on unspecified charges, possibly related to alleged prison violations or involvement in a fight.

Human rights organizations have condemned his imprisonment as politically motivated, in particular for his outspoken views on Pamiri identity and criticism of Tajik authorities.
12 Years
Oraz Vazirbekov is a Pamiri civil activist from Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). In July 2022, he was forcibly taken from Moscow to Tajikistan, despite holding Russian citizenship. Shortly after his abduction, he appeared in a video claiming he had returned voluntarily—a statement widely believed to have been made under duress.

In November 2022, a court in Dushanbe sentenced Oraz to 16 years in prison on charges of extremism and calling for the overthrow of the constitutional order. The trial was closed to the public, and human rights organizations have condemned the proceedings as politically motivated and lacking due process.
16 Years
Amriddin Alovatshoev is a prominent civil activist and youth leader from Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). In November 2021, he helped organize a protest outside the Tajik Embassy in Moscow, demanding accountability for the police killing of Gulbiddin Ziyobekov in Khorog.

On January 11, 2022, Alovatshoev disappeared in Russia and was later confirmed to have been forcibly returned to Tajikistan. His trial on April 29, 2022, lasted only two hours and was closed to the public. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison on charges including hostage-taking and inciting ethnic hatred. Human rights organizations have condemned his detention and sentencing as politically motivated and lacking due process.
18 Years
Ramzi Vazirbekov, a Pamiri civil activist from Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), and the cousin of Oraz Vazirbekov, was forcibly taken from Moscow to Tajikistan, despite holding Russian citizenship. Shortly after his abduction, both appeared in a video claiming he had returned voluntarily—a statement widely believed to have been made under duress.

Ramzi Vazirbekov was sentenced to 13 years in prison in November 2022. He was convicted on charges of participating in a criminal association and publicly calling for the overthrow of the constitutional order. His trial was held behind closed doors, without the presence of relatives or independent observers. Human rights organizations have condemned their arrests and sentencing as politically motivated, viewing them as part of a broader crackdown on Pamiri activists and civil society figures in GBAO following protests in May 2022.
13 Years
Khushom Gulyam, whose real name is Khushruz Jumayev, is a Pamiri journalist, blogger, and civil rights activist from Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). He was known for his work promoting Pamiri culture and language through his YouTube channel and social media platforms.

On May 20, 2022, Gulyam was arrested by Tajik authorities amid a broader crackdown on civil society following protests in GBAO. He was charged under Article 307(2) of the Tajik Criminal Code for "public calls for extremist activity," a charge often used to suppress dissent. His trial was held behind closed doors, and on December 9, 2022, he was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists, have condemned his arrest and sentencing as politically motivated, viewing it as part of a broader campaign to silence independent voices and suppress Pamiri identity in Tajikistan.
8 Years
Muzaffar Davlatmirov is a respected Ismaili religious leader from Khorugh, the capital of Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). On July 26, 2022, he was arrested by the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) and, just eight days later, sentenced to five years in prison under Article 307-1(2) of the Criminal Code for “public calls for extremist activity” allegedly made via mass media or the internet.

Davlatmirov was known for his sermons promoting peace and tolerance, while also criticizing government repression during the May 2022 crackdown on protests in GBAO. He led funeral prayers for several local informal leaders killed during the security operations, which likely contributed to his arrest.

His trial was closed to the public, and no evidence of extremist activity was presented. Human rights organizations and independent observers have condemned his imprisonment as politically motivated, viewing it as part of a broader campaign to suppress Pamiri identity and religious freedom in the region.
5 Years
Faromuz Irgashev is a Pamiri lawyer and civil society activist from the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). In 2020, he attempted to run for president, advocating for democratic reforms and greater accountability. His candidacy was blocked by Tajik authorities.

In 2021, after the peaceful protests and violent government crackdown, he joined Commission 44, an independent group investigating state violence in GBAO. In May 2022, Irgashev was arrested during a crackdown on Pamiri activists. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison on charges including extremism and terrorism. Human rights organizations have condemned the charges as politically motivated and part of a broader campaign to silence dissent in the region.
30 Years
Kholbash Kholbashov is a former senior border guard officer from the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) of Tajikistan. In May 2022, during a sweeping government crackdown on Pamiri activists, Kholbashov was arrested and charged with organizing mass unrest, terrorism, attempting to violently overthrow the constitutional order, and creating a criminal group.

State television aired a controversial "confession" video in which Kholbashov, alongside Mamadshoeva, appeared to admit to orchestrating the protests—statements believed by many to have been made under duress. His trial was closed to the public, lacking transparency and access to independent legal defense. In September 2022, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Human rights organizations have strongly condemned his arrest and sentencing, calling it part of a broader, politically motivated campaign to silence Pamiri leaders, activists, and voices critical of state repression in the GBAO.
Life
Muzafar Muborakshoev is a civil rights activist from Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). He was a member of Commission 44, an independent group established in 2021 to investigate the police killing of Gulbiddin Ziyobekov, an event that sparked widespread protests in Khorog.

In May 2022, amid a government crackdown on civil society in GBAO, Muborakshoev was arrested along with other members of Commission 44. He was charged with participating in a criminal association under Article 187 of the Tajik Criminal Code. His trial was held behind closed doors, and on December 9, 2022, he was sentenced to 29 years in prison.

Human rights organizations have condemned his arrest and sentencing as politically motivated, viewing it as part of a broader campaign to silence Pamiri activists and suppress dissent in the region.
29 Years
Muyassar Sadonshoev, also known by his pseudonym Muyassari Kuhistoni, is a Pamiri poet, videographer, and civil activist from Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). He gained recognition for his creative work and his involvement in civil society initiatives, particularly those advocating for the rights of the Pamiri community.

In July 2022, amid a broader government crackdown on activists following protests in GBAO, Sadonshoev was arrested and charged with treason for his alleged collaboration with Commission 44, an independent group formed to investigate the police killing of Gulbiddin Ziyobekov in November 2021. His trial was conducted behind closed doors, and he was subsequently sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Human rights organizations have condemned Sadonshoev's arrest and sentencing as politically motivated, viewing it as part of a broader campaign to suppress dissent and silence voices advocating for the Pamiri minority in Tajikistan.
11 Years
Komyor Mirzoev is a blogger and civil activist known for his critical posts on social media under the pseudonym Komchek Mirzoev, he highlighted issues in GBAO, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. In September 2022, he was detained in Moscow and, despite a Russian court ruling against his extradition, was abducted by Tajik security agents and transported to Dushanbe. In October 2022, following a closed trial, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of participating in a criminal association .
10 Years
Sherzamonov Muslim, the brother of opposition politician Alim Sherzamonov, deputy chairman of the banned National Alliance of Tajikistan, and a close friend of Mamadboqir Mamadboqirov, was accused of participating in a criminal group, alleging that weapons and grenades were found in his home. Muslim, a resident of Khorog, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in July 2022.

His family contends that he was detained after voluntarily attending a police summons and that the charges are politically motivated, aimed at punishing him for his familial ties to the opposition, prominent human rights organizations have backed the latter.
18 Years
Iftikhor Saidbekov, a member of Commission 44 and civil activist from Khorog, was detained on March 11, 2022, during the process was beaten. Authorities claimed he insulted police officers at a traffic post "out of hooligan motives," but fellow activists see his arrest as politically motivated pressure on Commission 44—a group formed to investigate the killing of Gulbiddin Ziyobekov in November 2021. He was later sentenced to 10 years in prison after closed-door trial.
10 Years
Sultonshoev Khurshedsho, a resident of Khorog in Tajikistan’s GBAO, was arrested in April 2022 and sentenced to 18 years in prison. While authorities accused him of possessing weapons and drugs, many believe the charges were politically motivated and part of the broader crackdown on Pamiri activists and residents following unrest in the region.
18 Years
Tutiyo Amirshoev was detained in March 2022 at Dushanbe airport while attempting to return to Moscow, where he had been working as a labor migrant. Amirshoev had traveled to Tajikistan in late 2021 to attend the funeral of his cousin, Tutisho Amirshoev, who was killed by Tajik forces during peaceful protests in Khorog in November 2021. Although Tutiyo did not participate in the protests, his arrest and sentencing have been viewed by human rights organizations as part of a broader crackdown on the Pamiri community in GBAO.
8.5 Years
Mamadsulton Mavlonazarov, also known by his pen name Muhammadi Sulton, is a 72-year-old retired colonel of Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS) and a former journalist. In June 2022, he was arrested after publicly criticizing the government's military operations in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). He was charged with public calls to forcibly change the constitutional order and insulting a government official via media or the internet. In September 2022, a court in Dushanbe sentenced him to seven years in prison following a closed trial. Human rights organizations have condemned his imprisonment as politically motivated and part of a broader crackdown on dissent in GBAO.
7 Years
Salam Imomnazarov, son of a former prominent Pamiri leader, Imomnazar Imomnazarov, also killed by state forces, was arrested in February 2022 upon returning from Turkey. He was charged with drug trafficking, based on a 2015 interrogation in which a detained drug dealer allegedly mentioned his name. Despite denying the charges, he was sentenced in June 2022 to 16 years in prison following a closed trial. Experts believe the case was politically motivated.
16 Years
Sodik Amadbekov is a Pamiri local youth leader from Khorog, Tajikistan. He was arrested in January 2023 after returning from Turkey. He was charged with hooliganism for allegedly participating in a mass brawl during a 2020 football match. He was later sentences to 2 years.
2 Years
Sherov Manuchehr a local Pamiri activist charged on bogus charges by the Tajik authorities, including hooliganism and insulting a government representative. Civil society members view Sherov as an activist opposing abuses by local security forces and believe the charges against him are politically motivated due to his participation in the 2021 protests.
10 Years
Farmonbekov Shodijon was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison by the Rushan District Court. His conviction was part of a broader crackdown on individuals associated with Mamadbokir Mamadbokirov, a prominent local figure killed by Tajik forces. Authorities accused Farmonbekov of involvement in criminal activities; however, human rights observers consider the charges politically motivated.
4.5 Years
Aknazarov Aknazarov, a close associate of Pamiri leader Mamadbokir Mamadbokirov, surrendered to Tajik authorities in 2022 amid an intense government crackdown following Mamadbokirov’s killing. Though accused of attacking a police checkpoint, many view his case as politically driven, part of the state’s broader repression of Pamiri voices and community leaders.
25 Years
Shaftoly Bekdavlatov, a Pamiri civil activist and member of Commission 44, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in June 2022 following a closed-door trial. He was arrested for allegedly organizing unsanctioned protests, but rights groups view the case as politically motivated and part of the crackdown on Pamiri dissent in Tajikistan.
18 Years
Umed Shoishirinov, a resident of Khorog in Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), is the younger brother of Imomnazar Shoishirinov. In 2022, Umed was sentenced to 14 years in prison following a closed trial. Authorities accused him of involvement in organized crime and extremism. However, human rights organizations and local observers view his conviction as part of a broader, politically motivated crackdown on Pamiri activists and their families. This pattern of targeting entire families has been widely criticized as collective punishment for dissent in the region .
14 Years
Imomnazar Shoishirinov, a civil society activist from Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2022. Authorities accused him of terrorism and treason, but human rights advocates argue the charges were politically motivated, part of a broader crackdown on Pamiri activists. Shoishirinov was known for speaking out against government abuses, and his closed trial lacked transparency and due process.
Life
Komron Mamadnazarov, a resident of Khorog in Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), is a well-known wrestler and coach in judo and sambo. In June 2022, he was arrested during a government crackdown on Pamiri activists following protests in the region. Subsequently, he was sentenced to five years in prison. Human rights organizations view his arrest and sentencing as politically motivated, part of a broader campaign to suppress dissent and civil society in GBAO.
5 Years
Khujamri Pirmamadov, a member of Commission 44 in Tajikistan’s GBAO, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in June 2022. He was accused of organizing a criminal group and receiving foreign funds, though rights groups call the charges politically motivated.
18 Years
Shabonov Jamshed is a an activist, mainly based in Moscow and played an important role in organizing multiple peaceful protests at the embassy of Tajikistan in Moscow. He was kidnapped and extradited to Tajikistan in 2022, being sentenced to 13 years behind bars.
25 Years
Tolib Ayombekov is a prominent Pamiri figure from Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). During the 1992–1997 Tajik Civil War, he served as a field commander for the United Tajik Opposition. Following the 1997 peace agreement, Ayombekov was integrated into the government, holding positions such as commander of a police battalion in Khorog and later head of the Ishkashim border detachment, achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel. Despite his official roles, he was accused by authorities of involvement in smuggling activities, including tobacco and precious stones.

In June 2022, amid unrest in GBAO, Ayombekov was arrested along with other informal leaders. In November 2022, he was sentenced to life imprisonment on charges including murder, hooliganism, robbery, drug trafficking, illegal weapons smuggling, inciting hatred, organizing mass disorder, and creating a criminal group. His trial was held behind closed doors, and human rights organizations have criticized the proceedings as lacking transparency and due process.
Life