In an appeal to the Tajik government, Amnesty International...

In an appeal to the Tajik government, Amnesty International (AI) urged the government not to execute seven members of a group headed by the rebel commander, Rahmon Sanginov. A Tajik court sentenced to death the seven men - Rajabmurod Jum'ayev, Umed Idiyev, Akbar Rajabov, Muharam Fathulloyev, Ibrohim Huseynov, Tojiddin Butayev, Ahmadjon Saidov and Sadriddin Pirov - after finding them guilty in February 2003 of terrorism, banditry, murder and hostage-taking. AI's appeal said that an inevitable death was awaiting the seven and that four of them - Rajabmurod, Umed, Akbar and Muharam - had been taken to an execution site on 24 April, it is was not known whether they were executed or not.