Austria Says No to the Tajik Government

On August 5, Vienna's criminal court in Austria denied Tajikistan's request to extradite Shavkat Muhammad, his 77-year-old mother Sharofat Sharifova, and his brother Bilolidin Sharifov. The trio is accused of extremism by Tajik authorities, but the family claims the prosecution is politically motivated, and no written ruling has been published.

This is the fourth refusal following Tajikistan's submissions. In April, Austria's Justice Ministry received files on 18 members of exiled opposition organizations, a dossier examined by Leila Nazgul Seiitbek in June. On June 24, a Vienna court dealt with Firdavs Shukurov, a member of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), who held an anti-Rahmon banner at a protest in October 2021.

The court blocked the return of a 49-year-old woman in May, wanted since 2018 for public calls to change the constitutional order. While Austria has not always been firm on these requests, the difference often lies in the procedural aspects. In March 2020, Austria removed Hizbullo Shovalizoda after rejecting his asylum claim, but he later had his removal invalidated due to outdated information about conditions in Tajikistan.

The divide between extradition requests and migration violations exists in Europe as well. Germany deported Asadullo Boboev and his 19-year-old son to Tajikistan in June, with Boboev later detained upon arrival and sentenced to 20 years for treason. In April 2024, Poland deported Farrukh Ikromov, and Sweden returned Farhod Negmatov and his three underage daughters in December.

Despite Tajikistan holding the third most Interpol wanted persons globally, Austria has consistently refused the extradition requests, while Germany has deported several Tajik opposition activists without a formal extradition request.