Person found guilty of accident, in which BBC reporters was injured, gets 3 years

DUSHANBE, December 19, 2012, Asia-Plus – A court in Dushanbe’s Sino district sentenced Nusratullo Sharipov, who was found guilty of a traffic accident, in which in which reporter of BBC’s Persian Service in Tajikistan Iskandar Firouz was badly injured, to three years and three months in a colony-settlement on December 18.  Besides, he has also been deprived of his driving license for three years.  The sentence followed his conviction on charges of traffic violation and violation of rules of vehicle operation.

“Colony-settlements” are establishments introduced in 1960s for persons who convicted crime by accident, convicts with good behavior who served at least half of the term for those eligible for the parole and who served two thirds of the term and not eligible for parole.  The inmates are without guard, but under observation and may move relatively freely.  They may also have family.

We will recall that Iskandar Firouz sustained serious injures on October 9 this year as Land Cruiser hit his Toyota Camry.

The accident took place in the evening, at around 8:10 pm, not far from Dushanbe’s Zoo.  Land Cruiser, driven by Nusratullo Sharipov, hit Toyota Camry that was driven by Javonsher Firouz, the son of Iskandar Firouz.

As a result of the collision, two passengers of Land Cruiser as well as Iskandar Firouz and his son, Javonsher Firouz, sustained various injuries and were taken to the National Medical Center.

Javonsher sustained inconsiderable injuries and was discharged from hospital two weeks after the accident, while Iskandar Firouz is still in hospital and he has to undergo one more surgery.

Ms. Natalia Sharipova, the defense lawyer of the injured party, says they are also going to demand adequate compensation: material damages of some 100,000 somoni to cover the cost of Iskandar Firouz’s medical treatment.