Abdunazarov, Sohibnazar

Gender: .
State of concern: .

Who, Why and How exiled:

One of the founders and leading members of "Youth for the Revival of Tajikistan", which protests against the Tajik government. His lawyer claims that the group was set up and organised in Russia, where an attempt to register it as an NGO was rejected (Холзода, 2015).

Associated with Mekhrubon Sattarov who is also in this database. (Human Rights Watch, 2016)

Category of exile: . (Definitions here.)

Which stages experienced: Stage 1   Stage 2   not Stage 3. (Definitions here.)
Date of most serious incident: 2015.
Violence experienced: .

Stage 1 details (accusations/ charges/ Interpol notice/ extradition requests):

Accused of creating an extremist organisation, organising and participating in protests against the Tajik government, and collaborating with another opposition group, Group of 24. His lawyer denies that the youth group is involved with Group of 24 (Холзода, 2015).

Since November 2014 arrests of activists of "Youth for the Revival of Tajikistan" have been taking place in Russia (Atayeva, 2015).

Stage 2 details (arrest/ detention/ extradition):

Arrested and detained in Moscow in 21 January 2015 (Tajinfo, 2015).

Both Abdunazarov and Sattarov were held for a year by Russian migration authorities, and then released on January 21, 2016. However they were re-arrested within days, for violating migration regulations. (Human Rights Watch,  2016)

International arrest warrant: .

Countries of transit, asylum and/or residence: .

Legal status (refugee/ asylum seeker/ resident):

Sought asylum in Russia - request refused July 2015 (Холзода, 2015).

Current status:

Remains in detention in Moscow, serving prison sentence. (Human Rights Watch, 2016)


Press sources:

Nadejda Atayeva, "Arrests of the Tajik activists in Moscow, Maksud Ibragimov is missing," [blog], January 27, 2015. [Online]. Available at: http://nadejda-atayeva.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/blog-post_26.html.[Accessed: 23 May, 2018]

Human Rights Watch, "Tajikistan: Severe Crackdown on Political Opposition," February 17, 2016. [Online].  https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/02/17/tajikistan-severe-crackdown-political-opposition[Accessed: 23 May, 2018]

Нурмухаммад Холзода, "Россия отказала в предоставлении убежища молодежному тадж-оппозиционеру Абдуназарову," Centrasia, July 5, 2015. [Online]. Available at: http://www.centrasia.ru/newsA.php?st=1436078040 [Accessed: 23 May, 2018]

Tajinfo, "В России освобождены сторонники "Группы 24"," September 22, 2015. [Online]. Available at:  http://www.tajinfo.org/gr24/post/635785555146723105.[Accessed: 23 May, 2018]