DUSHANBE, September 16, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Resident of the northern city of Khujand, Ahmadjon Achilov, 36, has got a long jail term for membership in the outlawed religious extremist Hizb ut-Tahrir group.

The Khujand city court sentenced Ahmadjon Achilov to nine years in prison on September 15.  The sentence followed his conviction on charges of organization of a criminal group (Article 187 (2) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code) and organization of an extremist group (Article 307 (2) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code).  Achilov will serve his term in a high-security penal colony

An official source at the Khujand city court says Ahmadjon Achilov joined Hizb ut-Tahrir in 2000 and was detained by officers from the State Committee for National Security (SCNS)’s office in Sughd in February this year.

The Supreme Court of Tajikistan formally labeled the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir Islamist group as an extremist organization on March 11, 2008.  The ruling followed a request submitted to the court by Tajik chief prosecutor.  Although the group has been outlawed in Tajikistan since April 2001, the ruling means even tighter restrictions on the group''s presence on the Internet and its use of media to promote its ideology.