Tajik officials say the body of Uzbek diaspora leader Salim Shamsiddinov may have been found in a river in neighboring Uzbekistan.
Anvar Tagoymuradov, head of the Interior Ministry branch in Tajikistan’s southern Khatlon region, announced the discovery on July 18.
Tagoymuradov said Uzbekistan informed Tajik authorities that the body was found in April but did not explain the delay in passing along the information.
Tagoymuradov said the description of the body matches that of Shamsiddinov, who vanished in March.
Relatives said they could not be sure from the photographs they viewed that the body was that of Shamsiddinov.
Shamsiddinov's sister Kharnisso Yarova said she is going to Uzbekistan to identify the body.
Rights group Amnesty International wrote on March 26 that Shamsiddinov’s disappearance "could have been a politically motivated abduction."
Anvar Tagoymuradov, head of the Interior Ministry branch in Tajikistan’s southern Khatlon region, announced the discovery on July 18.
Tagoymuradov said Uzbekistan informed Tajik authorities that the body was found in April but did not explain the delay in passing along the information.
Tagoymuradov said the description of the body matches that of Shamsiddinov, who vanished in March.
Relatives said they could not be sure from the photographs they viewed that the body was that of Shamsiddinov.
Shamsiddinov's sister Kharnisso Yarova said she is going to Uzbekistan to identify the body.
Rights group Amnesty International wrote on March 26 that Shamsiddinov’s disappearance "could have been a politically motivated abduction."