Mahmourod Odinayev was not tortured and his guilt is fully proven, says Tajik chief prosecutor
In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, Tajik Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon said today that reports that torture was allegedly used against deputy leader of the Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT) Mahmourod Odinayev during investigation into his case are absolutely baseless.
“Mahmourod Odinayev was not tortured and his guilt is fully proven,” the chief prosecutor stated.
Yusuf Rahmon also noted that “the militant opposition, which is outside the country, has intensified its activities.”
“Over the first month of this year alone, ten persons have been detained in the country for establishing contacts with extremist and terrorists organizations banned in Tajikistan,” the chief prosecutor said.
Recall, a court in Roudaki district sentenced Mahmourod Odinayev to 14 years in prison on January 28.
The sentenced followed his conviction on charges hooliganism committed by a group of people by prior conspiracy, with resistance to government officials or to other persons charged with the responsibility of maintaining public order.(Article 237 (2) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code) and public calls for extremist activity or public justification of extremism.( Article 307 (1) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code).
The trial of Mahmourod Odinayev was behind closed doors.
The court's ruling was nearly identical to the prosecution's earlier demand for a 15-year prison term.
The court also found Odinayev's son Habibullo guilty of hooliganism and imposed a 58,000-somoni fine on him.
According to some sources, Mahmourod Odinayev went missing on November 20 after he asked Dushanbe Mayor Rustam Emomali in a Facebook post to allow him and supporters of the Social Democratic Party to stage a demonstration over food-price hikes.
The Prosecutor’s Office said on December 5 that Mahmourod Odinayev had been detained in Dushanbe.
According to the authorities, he allegedly conducted an act of hooliganism in a military draft office in Hisor in late October, where prosecutors say he confronted officials over the conscription of his son Habibullo.
The Hisor prosecutor’s office on November 20 instituted criminal proceedings against Mahmourod Odinayev under provisions of Article 237 (2) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – hooliganism committed by a group of people by prior conspiracy, with resistance to government officials or to other persons charged with the responsibility of maintaining public order.
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