Court keeps Dushanbe journalist held on extremism charges in custody

AKIPRESS.COM - The Dushanbe court dismissed the petition of attorneys of journalist Daler Sharifov to release him from custody for the period of investigation, Avesta reports. Daler Sharifov was summoned to the State National Security Committee. On Janury 30, the court ruled to take the journalist into custody for a 2-month investigation period.
The General Prosecutor's Office said Daler Sharifov is accused under the article of the Criminal Code on incitement of ethnic, racial and religious hatred.
Sharifov reportedly published more than 200 articles and notices with extremist content inciting religious intolerance between 2013-2019.
Sharifov published 100 copies of the text in the underground printing house in June 2019, which was found to be affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, a movement that was banned in Tajikistan.
The Tajik authorities denied Daler Sharifov was detained in connection with his journalist activities, however, journalists and civil society activists say the opposite.