GENEVA (14 May 2025) – A UN expert* today expressed serious concern over the conviction of 31-year-old journalist and woman human rights defender Rukhshona Khakimova, calling on the Government of Tajikistan to release her immediately and grant her a fair retrial in line with international standards.
On 5 February 2025, the Supreme Court of Tajikistan convicted Khakimova of treason under article 305 part 2 (d) of the Criminal Code and sentenced her to eight years in prison. The verdict was upheld on 2 April 2025.
The case was part of a broader criminal investigation involving former senior officials and politicians allegedly accused of extremism, espionage, and an attempted coup. Her charges allegedly stemmed from interviews she conducted for a research project on international aid from China to Tajikistan, where she reportedly spoke with two defendants, asking general questions not related to classified information.
“Rukhshona Khakimova’s trial appears to have fallen short of international fair trial standards,” said Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. “This raises serious concerns that she was targeted not for any wrongdoing, but for her legitimate human rights journalism.”
Khakimova was allegedly detained twice in July 2024 without a warrant or formal charges. While she was charged in July, she and her lawyer were not informed of the charges for several months, were denied access to case documents, and her lawyer was neither provided with a copy of the verdict nor permitted to meet with her after the conviction.
“These concerns are exacerbated by the secrecy in which the case was handled,” the expert said. “It was classified, she and her lawyer were placed under non-disclosure obligations, and both the trial and appeal were held behind closed doors. Unfortunately, this appears consistent with practices used in other criminal cases against defenders, which I have previously raised with the Government,” she said.
The court reportedly refused to apply a sentence that did not involve prison, despite Rukhshona Khakimova being the mother of two very young children – two and a half years and nine months old at the time. The court also reportedly ordered the full seizure of her property, leaving her family in a vulnerable financial situation.
“It’s heartbreaking enough that she’s been separated from her young children,” Lawlor said. “But to then be denied visits and even basic parcels – it’s hard to imagine how isolating that must feel. This treatment could deter other women – especially mothers and caregivers – from pursuing journalistic or human rights work.”
“Without taking a position on the charges, I stress that if they are valid, they must be supported by clear evidence and tested in a fair and transparent trial, in line with international standards,” she said.
The Special Rapporteur is in contact with the Government on this issue.
ENDS
*The expert: Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.
