Manuchehr Kholiqnazarov

Manuchehr Kholiqnazarov (; ), sometimes spelled Manuchehr Kholiknazarov, is a Pamiri human rights activist and lawyer from Gorno-Badakhshan, an autonomous region of Tajikistan. His 2022 arrest and conviction following peaceful protests in Khorog led to international condemnation from human rights organisations.

Career Kholiqnazarov is a trained lawyer who served as the director of the Lawyers Association of Pamir until his arrest in 2022, which advocated for the protect of the human rights of the Pamiri ethnic group native to Gorno-Badakhshan. He is also a member of the Civil Society Coalition against Torture and Impunity in Tajikistan. Four days after Ziyobekov's death, and following protests in the region's capital, Khorog, Kholiqnazarov became a founding member of Commission 44, an organisation set up to investigate Ziyobekov's killing.

Arrest and imprisonment On 28 May 2022 Kholiqnazarov was arrested and charged with "participation in a criminal organisation" and "participating in the activities of a banned organisation due to its extremist activities" under articles 187 and 307 of the Criminal Code of Tajikistan.

On 9 December 2022, the Supreme Court of Tajikistan found Kholiqnazarov guilty and sentenced him to 16 years imprisonment, alongside Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva, who received a 21-year sentence; Kholiqnazarov disputed the accusations and had pleaded not guilty. The trial was criticised for not giving Kholiqnazarov and other defendants access to lawyers or sight of the evidence being used against them.

Syinat Sultanalieva of Human Rights Watch called Kholiqnazarov's sentence a "direct retaliation" for his work as a human rights activist.