Tajikistan's Supreme Court sentenced journalist Rukhshona Khakimova to eight years on treason charges; a UN expert said her trial appeared to fall short of international fair-trial standards

Khakimova, an investigative journalist, was sentenced by the Supreme Court of Tajikistan to eight years in prison on treason charges, in a case reported to be linked to a public survey she conducted on China's influence in Tajikistan. On 14 May 2025 the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, called for her release and a fair retrial, saying the trial appeared to fall short of international fair-trial standards.