The hero of our time… in the dungeons of a Tajik prison.
Published on 2018-07-09, Amsterdam
History knows many heroes who lived at different times. We look at them, we admire their courage and bravery, we are inspired by their actions, and we take an example from them and want to be like them. Who are they, these heroes, and why do they leave an indelible mark in our hearts?
July 9 is the birthday of such a hero of modern history. Buzurgmehr Yorov was born in 1971 in the city of Dushanbe in the writer's family.
From his youth, he was distinguished by a sense of responsibility and indifference to what was going on around him. He always showed active participation in public life. He always wanted to do something useful for others, contribute to the development of society and help people. These goals were the initials for him to choose the profession of a lawyer.
Legal education Buzurgmehr obtained at the Tajik State University named after Lenin in 1997, after studying perfectly and his graduation, in November 1998 he started his legal practice.
At first he worked as a lawyer in the legal consultation of the Shohmansur district of Dushanbe city and in 2007 Buzurgmehr established the independent Bar of the city of Dushanbe and became its chairman. From May 2009 to February 2015, he was also appointed as a chairman of the Bar Association of the Republic of Tajikistan "Sipar".
In his public activities Buzurgmehr repeatedly published reports of human rights violations in Tajikistan. He made statements on various delicate, "inconvenient" and high-profile cases, criticized the authorities and law enforcement agencies of Tajikistan for violating human rights. He knows how to face the truth.
In work Buzurgmehr was very brave. He was not afraid to undertake the most difficult cases, often for those for which no one else was ready to take up. His professionalism and literacy could only be envied. People knew that they could rely on him.
The record of Buzurgmehr includes a lot of the most high-profile cases.
In the years 2004-2006 Buzurgmehr defended Mirzoyev Gafor, one of ex formers of president of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, ex-head of the Agency for Drug Control and former commander of the Presidential Guard.
In 2011-2012 Buzurgmehr defended the interests of the former leader of the United Tajik Opposition, Khoji Akbar Turadzhonzoda and his family.
In 2012 Buzurgmehr defended Muhiddin Kabiri, a deputy of the lower house of parliament, chairman of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT).
In 2012-2013 Buzurgmehr defended the interests of the shareholders of the construction company "Movarounnahr".
In September 2013, Buzurgmehr represented the IRPT in the district court of I. Somoni in the case against state television channels.
During the 2013-2014 Buzurgmekhr defended Burkhon Abdulloev, the director of the market "Inom", who led the lawsuit with the brother-in-law of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Shamsullo Sohibov.
In 2014 he defended the interests of Umejon Salikhov, a member of the political movement "Group 24".
Buzurgmehr defended the rights of Nuriddin Makhkamov, a Tajik businessman (now political prisoner), in the case of raiding by another brother-in-law of the President of Tajikistan, Khasan Sadulloev, head of Orienbank.
In 2013 he also participated in the defense of Zaid Saidov and his lawyer Fahridin Zokirov. Zaid Saidov, a well-known Tajik politician and businessman, was accused of rape, polygamy, fraud, bribery, forgery of documents and embezzlement of budget funds after being informed of the intention to create a new political party, New Tajikistan, and was sentenced to 29 years imprisonment.
September 16, 2015 Buzurgmehr began to protect the interests of 13 members of the political council and leadership of the IRPT, and to this end, set up a special committee. At that time, Buzurgmehr was chairman of the Audit and Certification Commission of the “Sipar” Bar Association.
However, the same month, September 28, 2015, Buzurgmehr was detained on charges of a crime under article 340 (forgery of documents), article 247 (fraud), article 189 (inciting national racial, parochial or religious hatred) and article 307 (public calls for violent change of the constitutional order) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Back in 2011, he was injured in the case of a fake document on the inspection of his car. For such reasons, there were many victims in those days, as there was a group of people forging documents. During the detention of Buzurgmehr, on September 28, 2015, he was still a victim in this case, and there were no orders to bring him as a suspect. The whole process of detention and bringing charges was violated from beginning to end. No witnesses were questioned about his involvement in the crime, no evidence was collected. Everything was done afterwards, after his arrest.
As a result of the first trial, on October 6, 2016, a verdict was passed - 23 years of imprisonment.
On March 15, 2017, the Supreme Court of Tajikistan sentenced Buzurgmehr to two more years of imprisonment "for contempt of court" during his speech in court on the first trial. Then, during his speech, Buzurgmehr cited the verses of Avicenna.
Later, in relation to Buzurgmehr Yorov, two more criminal cases were instituted - on charges of fraud in a particularly large amount and insulting the President of Tajikistan.
According to the totality of sentences, Buzurgmehr was sentenced to 28 years imprisonment in a strict regime colony.
As can be seen from the chronology of events and in the study of each case separately, it becomes obvious that Buzurgmehr Yorov, always a fearless fighter for justice, took up political affairs and defended the rights of his clients with honor and dignity.
But, unfortunately, in today's justice system in Tajikistan, in the absence of independence and impartiality of the court, Buzurgmehr himself became a victim of injustice, and for three years already he has been illegally imprisoned for politically motivated cases.
Unfortunately, as it often happened in world history, Tajikistan was not able to accept and recognize its hero of modern times...