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Dilmurod Ergashev taking part in a demonstration in Berlin on Dec. 23, 2022, in support of Abdullohi Shamsiddin, who was detained and later deported to Tajikistan in January 2023 / Photo: Sharofiddin Gadoev
On the day he was set to be deported from Germany to Tajikistan — where he risks imminent torture and imprisonment — Tajik political activist Dilmurod Ergashev attempted suicide. German police officers arriving at the deportation center to escort him to Düsseldorf Airport found him in his cell lying in a pool of blood, according to Sharofiddin Gadoev, an opposition leader and the head of the Reforms and Development of Tajikistan movement, who spoke with The Insider.
Ergashev inflicted multiple cuts on himself, including to his abdomen, body, and arms, damaging his veins. Several deep wounds required surgical intervention and stitches at a hospital. Despite his suicide attempt and severe health condition, Ergashev's deportation to Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe, has been scheduled for November 6 at 11:00 a.m. local time, transiting through Istanbul.
“Knowing that returning to Tajikistan means inevitable punishment and severe repression from Emomali Rahmon’s regime, Ergashev attempted to end his life. He would rather die than fall into the hands of the regime’s ‘butchers,’ known for their ruthless crackdown on political opponents,” Gadoev said. “Ergashev faced injustice at every stage of his case: court proceedings in Germany were blatantly biased, and his deportation stands as an appalling example of a forced and orchestrated action. The German government, which should have been a refuge for the persecuted, has shown complete disregard for his life and rights. Instead of protecting someone fleeing oppression, Germany has effectively sentenced him to a harrowing fate.”
The Reforms and Development of Tajikistan movement — an EU-based group formed by exiled Tajik dissidents — has urgently called on the international community and human rights organizations to intervene immediately and take decisive steps to stop Ergashev’s deportation.
“We demand that the German authorities reconsider their decision and grant Dilmurod Ergashev the protection he deserves as a political refugee. The activist’s fate should not be hostage to bureaucratic decisions. This is a critical moment for the international community to stand united and determined in defending the rights of those fighting for freedom and justice in their countries,” read a statement by the movement.
Ergashev was detained in Germany on Oct. 28 and taken to the administrative court in the town of Kleve, near the country's border with the Netherlands, where he was placed in custody. On the same day, the court ruled to deport him to Tajikistan between November 5 and 7 — despite the fact his asylum request was still pending at another administrative court.
Ergashev, 40, has been an active member of the opposition movement Group 24, which is banned in Tajikistan, Gadoev noted. He took part in numerous peaceful protests, such as demonstrations outside Tajikistan’s embassy in Berlin in April 2015, on Dec. 10, 2018, and Sept. 28–29, 2023 — along with events in other German cities. Ergashev has been a vocal critic of Emomali Rahmon’s regime, distributing posts on social media, advocating for democratic values, and defending human rights, the activist said. Since the formation of the Reforms and Development of Tajikistan movement on Mar. 15, 2018, he has remained an active member of the group, volunteering to support its initiatives, Gadoev added.
Ergashev applied for political asylum in Germany in February 2011. Despite ample evidence of his persecution in Tajikistan, his application remained unaddressed for over 13 years.