DUSHANBE, February 20, 2013, Asia-Plus – Shokirjon Hakimov, deputy leader of the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT), says he received death threats by phone.

According to him, unknown person phoned him on February 16 and threatened him with death “if I appear once again in the Independent Bar Association of Tajikistan.”

Shokirjon Hakimov attributes the threats “to his active civil and political position.”

“Lately, representatives of the coalition of political parties on making changes to the country’s election legislation gather once a week at the Independent Bar Association of Independent Barristers of Tajikistan to discuss issues related to improvement of the country’s presidential election law and nomination of a common candidate,” said Hakimov, “Besides, citizens apply to me over criminal and civil cases and I help them as far as possible.  Sometimes, I arrange appointments at the Independent Bar Association.”

“On February 18, I took the printout of incoming calls on my mobile phone to the law enforcement authorities with solicitation to find out the person who called me and institute criminal proceedings against him,” Hakimov said.