Ahmad / Ahmadi Ibrohim (Аҳмади Иброҳим), a 62 years old journalist and editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Payk,” (Пайк) was arrested by law enforcement in the Khatlon (Вилояти Хатлон) region of Tajikistan on 12 August 2024.Ibrohim is accused of attempting to bribe a government official, leading to a criminal case under Article 320 of the Tajik Criminal Code, which carries a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Critical voices in the country suggest that the arrest allegedly may have been a setup orchestrated by a The Committee for State Security (Комитет государственно й безопасности – КГБ – KGB) officer, who allegedly had been in close contact with Ibrohim for several months, allegedly offering to resolve issues related to “Payk’s” operating license.
According to local sources, a person repeatedly promised to secure the license renewal and eventually requested 2,500 TJS (approximately 212 EUR) to facilitate the process. When Ibrohim provided the money, he was arrested.
The charges against Ibrohim were later modified, accusing him of attempted bribery under Article 32, Part 3, and Article 320, Part 2 of the Criminal Code. These charges suggest an incomplete criminal act, but they still carry severe penalties, including fines and long prison sentences.
While Tajik authorities have not officially confirmed the arrest, Ibrohim’s colleagues believe the journalist has become a victim of a deliberate scheme aimed at silencing him. They emphasize that Ibrohim has been critical of local officials in the Khatlon region and the city of Kulob, where “Payk” operates. A friend stated that Ibrohim never actively offered a bribe, but instead was misled into giving money under false pretenses.
Ibrohim’s work has previously attracted threats from extremist groups. His critical articles about extremism led to threats. Despite these threats, Ibrohim continued to write and expose issues in the region. He also published several books.
Ibrohim founded in 2012 “Payk,” which is the only independent newspaper in the Khatlon region. However, “Payk” has faced multiple obstacles over the years, including financial difficulties and temporary shutdowns by authorities. Ibrohim’s previous battles with the authorities also included a 2014 incident in which the Khatlon Prosecutor’s Office temporarily suspended the newspaper’s operations due to a licensing issue.
This arrest raises significant concerns about the state of press freedom in Tajikistan, where multiple journalists have been jailed in recent years. The reasons cited for their imprisonment range from extremism to bribery, but many local and international observers believe the real motive is to silence critical voices in the media.
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) will closely monitor the situation surrounding Ahmad Ibrohim’s arrest and ongoing legal proceedings. SEEMO is committed to ensuring that his case, along with similar instances of repression against journalists, receives the attention it deserves andthat the fundamental rights of media professionals are upheld.
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.
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