A court in Tajikistan has sentenced Asadullo Boboev , an opposition activist deported from Germany in June, to 17 years in jail. Human Rights Watch and other groups previously warned the German authorities that activists like Boboev could face mistreatment and criminal prosecution on politically motivated charges if returned to Tajikistan.

Boboev, 54, had lived in Germany with his family since 2017. He was involved in the Reforms and Development of Tajikistan movement, an opposition group critical of President Emomali Rahmon’s government. After Boboev was convicted under three articles of the criminal code, including “extremism through the internet,” a court sentenced Boboev on September 21, according to a media report . Tajik authorities have not published information on the case.

Boboev, who was deported from Germany on June 20, previously told media that Tajik authorities had opened a criminal extremism case against him because of social media posts criticizing the Tajik authorities.…