Second Pamiri Activist Dies in Tajik Prison Amid Allegations of Medical Neglect and Torture

Aslon Gulobov

Another civil activist from Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) has died in custody, reigniting concerns over the treatment of political prisoners and the wider crackdown on the Pamiri population.

Aslon Gulobov, a 35-year-old native of Khorugh and activist from GBAO, died in a Tajik prison on the evening of June 9, 2025, while serving a life sentence. According to sources cited by Radio Ozodi, Gulobov died from stomach bleeding after reportedly suffering from a stomach ulcer for months. His condition had been critical for at least two months before his death.

“His condition had been very serious for the past two months. His relatives appealed to the Main Directorate for the Execution of Sentences requesting medical treatment, but the authorities ignored these appeals,” a source from Khorugh told Radio Ozodi.

Journalist Anora Sarkorova, writing on Facebook from Europe, was among the first to report Gulobov’s death publicly. She stated that he had repeatedly complained of his worsening health but never received timely medical care.

Efforts by journalists to contact the prison administration were unsuccessful. Officials from the Main Directorate declined to comment by phone. According to sources, Gulobov’s body was to be handed over to his family on June 10 for burial.

A Pattern of Neglect and Repression

Gulobov was arrested in the summer of 2022 during a wave of mass detentions following protests in GBAO. In August 2022, he was sentenced to life in prison on charges of participating in the 2012 assassination of General Abdullo Nazarov, the head of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) in GBAO. His trial, along with those of Gulomali Ayombekov and Khayrimmamad Dustmamadov, was held behind closed doors, and all three denied the charges.

According to human rights organizations, Gulobov was subjected to severe torture while in detention. His death is not the first of its kind.

In January 2025, Kulmamad Pallaev, a 50-year-old activist from the Rushan district of GBAO, also died in the same prison. Like Gulobov, he had complained of severe stomach pain and was reportedly denied medical treatment.

International Silence and Local Outrage

Gulobov is among dozens of GBAO residents arrested following the 2022 protests in Khorugh and other regions. Independent estimates suggest that around 40 civilians were killed by security forces during the crackdown. While the authorities have accused the detainees of being part of “criminal and extremist groups,” local residents and human rights advocates describe them as peaceful activists and have consistently called for fair and independent investigations.

The European Union and numerous international human rights organizations have repeatedly urged the Tajik government to investigate the events in Badakhshan and the widespread violations of human rights. To date, these calls have gone unanswered.