Paik Editor Sentenced to 10 Years - Radio Ozodi

Akhmad Ibrohim, editor-in-chief of the weekly newspaper "Paik," has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, Orda reports, citing Radio Ozodi.

The verdict was delivered on January 10.

Ibrohim was arrested in August 2024. Authorities charged him with bribing a State National Security Committee employee, extortion, and extremism, though they provided no specific details about the allegations.

Ibrohim denied all charges, suggesting his arrest was linked to "one boss and two employees," though he did not name specific individuals.

Arrested in August 2024, Ibrohim faced charges of bribery, extortion, and extremism.

In his letter to Rustam Emomali, the eldest son of Tajikistan's long-serving President Emomali Rahmon and prominent political figure, he wrote:

I have never bribed anyone in my life, but I am accused of bribery. I have not extorted money in my life, but I am accused of extortion. I have not been an extremist in my life, but I have been fighting extremism for the past 22 years. How can I, a journalist and author of 6 novels about Zoroastrians, become a Salafi?

According to Ozodi's sources, dozens of local officials and businessmen were forced to testify against Ibrahim, yet he stated that none of the 13 witnesses at his trials spoke against him.

The case appears linked to licensing issues with his newspaper.

After the Ministry of Culture refused to renew the publication's license, he allegedly offered a KSASC administrator two thousand somoni for a new one.

His supporters claim the charges are retaliation for his critical journalism.