Tajik Court Upholds Closure Of Human Rights NGO

SUGHD, Tajikistan -- The Regional Court of Tajikistan's Sughd Province has upheld a ruling to shut down a nongovernmental organization dedicated to human rights.

The leader of the organization Civil Society, Mohiniso Horisova, told RFE/RL that she plans to appeal the court's decision.

In January, a court in the city of Khujand ruled that Horisova's organization must be shut down for using the wrong address in its registration documents and for failure to clearly define its leadership.

Horisova called the ruling politically motivated.

Civil Society has been operating in Tajikistan for 11 years. It has been holding seminars, roundtable discussions, and training that focused on human rights, social issues, and initiating legal reforms.

The organization has been discussing possible reforms of presidential and parliamentary election laws.

Tajikistan's presidential election is scheduled for November.