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Dododjon AtovulloevLeader of the opposition Tajik socio-political movement "Vatandor"
Country:
 Tajikistan |
Content:
- Attаch on Tajik Journalist Dododjon Atovulloev
- Details of the Attack
- Investigation and Suspects
- Possible Motives
- Atovulloev's Background and Activities
- Financial Situation and Criminal Charges
- Media Appearances and Controversial Statements
- Allegations of Tajik Involvement
- Atovulloev's Threats and Predictions
Attаch on Tajik Journalist Dododjon Atovulloev
Knife Attack in MoscowOn the evening of January 12, in Moscow, opposition journalist and leader of the Tajik socio-political movement "Vatanador" Dododjon Atovulloev was attacked by a fellow Tajik national. The unidentified assailant stabbed Atovulloev multiple times outside the restaurant where the journalist was scheduled to meet an acquaintance. The victim was hospitalized and underwent surgery. Atovulloev's life is reportedly out of danger. There are already speculations in the media that the Tajik authorities may have been behind the attack. The investigation, on the other hand, believes that the motive could be related to Atovulloev's professional activities or a personal conflict.
Details of the Attack
The attack occurred between 9:00 and 10:00 pm. According to some reports, it took place inside the Viaggio restaurant, where Atovulloev was supposed to meet his friends. Other sources claim it happened outside the restaurant. An Interfax source in law enforcement described the incident: "Atovulloev arrived for the meeting and sat down at a table. At that moment, an unknown man ran up to him and stabbed him twice with a knife before fleeing."
The restaurant is located on Komsomolsky Prospekt, not far from Atovulloev's home. It is unclear who the journalist planned to meet with (or whether the meeting had anything to do with his journalistic or opposition activities). Izvestiya reports that he was waiting for friends, while LifeNews claims he was expecting "a man he had arranged to meet." Meanwhile, Moskovskie Novosti columnist Arkady Dubnov, who managed to contact the injured Atovulloev, reported (quoting Atovulloev) that the Tajik journalist had been followed shortly before the attack and that "he had been constantly called and asked to meet."
"When he was standing on the street, he saw a stranger walking right towards him and smiling," Atovulloev's associates explained. "Dododjon thought the man was coming to greet him and smiled back. But instead, the stranger pulled out a knife and attacked."
Investigation and Suspects
The assailant stabbed the journalist multiple times in the stomach. The victim was taken to Sklifosovsky Institute, where he underwent surgery. It was discovered that his liver and lung were damaged, and he lost a significant amount of blood. The operation was reportedly successful, and there is no threat to the patient's life. He is expected to be moved from intensive care to a regular ward soon.
Shortly after the attack, the police detained a suspect. The individual is a Tajik citizen, and police noticed blood on his hands. The detainee claimed that the blood was his own. Samples were sent for analysis. LifeNews identified the detainee as 23-year-old Bikhtiyor Rakhmberdiev. According to a source in law enforcement, he was apprehended based on the description provided by eyewitnesses to the attack on the journalist. However, it later emerged that the detainee had been released as he was not involved in the attack.
Possible Motives
A criminal case has been opened regarding the incident under the article "Intentional Infliction of Serious Bodily Harm." According to Izvestiya, law enforcement agencies are considering two versions: an attempt on the journalist's life related to his professional activities and a personal conflict.
Atovulloev's Background and Activities
Dododjon Atovulloev left Tajikistan in 1992 during the civil war. In his homeland, he published the newspaper "Charogi Ruz" ("Daylight") and worked on the election campaign of opposition candidate Davlat Khudonazarov in the 1991 presidential elections, who was supported by both democratic movements and supporters of the country's Islamization (later, democrats and Islamists formed the United Tajik Opposition, which opposed the People's Front under the leadership of Emomali Rahmon, the future president of the country).
Atovulloev told Fergana that he was put on a "death list" in late 1992 and was forced to flee the country. He flew to Almaty and soon after moved to Moscow (in the past, Atovulloev lived in Moscow for a while and studied at the Faculty of Journalism at Moscow State University). While in Russia, Atovulloev resumed publishing his newspaper. He also tried to act as the leader of the "opposition in exile." In early 2007, Atovulloev announced the creation of the opposition movement "Vatanador" ("Compatriot"), declaring that he would seek the urgent resignation of the President of Tajikistan and threatening to organize mass protests if the president refused to step down.
Atovulloev occasionally left Russia (in particular, he lived in Germany for some time, where he obtained a residence permit). According to the oppositionist, he "conducted negotiations with various groups of influence" and organized meetings abroad (both in neighboring countries and further afield, including in the United Kingdom and the United States). There were other reasons as well. For example, in 2008, Atovulloev urgently flew to Paris because, as EurasiaNet reported, he feared that Russia might extradite him to the Tajik authorities. However, he later returned to Moscow.
Financial Situation and Criminal Charges
Atovulloev apparently faced no financial difficulties. In the summer of 2008, speaking at a press conference at Rosbalt, he said that he "could buy several apartments in any country."
Several criminal cases have been opened against Atovulloev in his homeland. In the fall of 2008, a case was opened for calls to overthrow the government and for insulting the president. In total, according to RIA Novosti, Tajikistan sent over 20 requests to Russia for the detention of the oppositionist. He was arrested several times but was later released. The Russian side refused to extradite him to Tajikistan.
Media Appearances and Controversial Statements
Atovulloev's comments on issues related to Tajikistan or Tajik-Russian relations often appeared in Russian media. The oppositionist's comments criticizing Emomali Rahmon and predicting his resignation became especially in demand during periods of cooling relations between Russia and Tajikistan. During the recent scandal involving the detention of the Russian pilot, he published an article in Izvestiya titled "If Not Russia, Tomorrow There Will Be a Hunger Riot in Tajikistan and the Crowd Will Destroy the Rulers' Palaces."
Shortly before, in an interview with the magazine Oktyabr, Atovulloev claimed that Emomali Rahmon "dismissed Russia," tried to "get a new feeding trough in the West," and that in Russia, the Tajik president was supported only by "several high-ranking officials who are tied to money and have interests in the drug business."
Atovulloev told Novyye Izvestiya that Russia should help change power in Tajikistan because "it was Moscow that brought Rahmon to power" (earlier, the oppositionist had claimed that Emomali Rahmon's rise to power was a "coup d'état" backed by Russia and Uzbekistan). "About 90 percent of the population hates Rahmon's regime," he said in an interview with Vzglyad. "Therefore, any force that helps the Tajiks overthrow him will be a welcome guest and partner for the country."
Allegations of Tajik Involvement
The theory that the attempted murder of the oppositionist was orchestrated by the Tajik authorities (in retaliation for his statements) was quite expected. Such assessments of the incident were made by Moskovskie Novosti columnist Arkady Dubnov and Fergana editor-in-chief Daniil Kislov, among others. "I am sure that it was an order," Dubnov stated. "He [Atovulloev] has long annoyed official Dushanbe, and the trail of customers must be sought in Tajikistan."
Kislov, in turn, noted that over the past 10 years, Atovulloev had been attacked five times (he was beaten up), but the attackers were never found. Describing the assassination attempt as a political order, he added that Atovulloev "is considered one of President Rahmon's main enemies." The Fergana editor-in-chief recalled the Tajik oppositionist's recent interviews, in which he accused the republic's leadership of involvement in drug trafficking.
Atovulloev's Threats and Predictions
On the other hand, Atovulloev has been making accusations against the authorities for quite some time. And with threats against the "regime" as well. In fact, back in 2007, when he was presenting his Vatanador movement, he claimed that if Rahmon refused to step down voluntarily, the opposition would respond with "processions, hunger strikes, rallies, strikes, and so on." In June 2008, speaking at a press conference in Moscow, the oppositionist stated that "this summer is the last season that Rakhmenov can celebrate." Atovulloev said that "mass rallies and civil disobedience actions will take place throughout Tajikistan" in the fall of 2008.
Power in Tajikistan has not changé since then (nor have the promised rallies throughout the country). When, during an online conference on the TopTJ website, Atovulloev was asked why Rahmon remained president despite his numerous predictions, the oppositionist replied that his predictions were "the voice of the soul, not of the mind." He lamented the passivity of the people, but during the same conference, he declared that the republic was "pregnant with a revolution," that "it was time to act," and that
