DUSHANBE, May 19, 2016, Asia-Plus – Chairman of Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament Shukurjon Zuhurov has raised the issue of a recent deadly brawl at the Khovanskoye cemetery in Moscow at a meeting with head of Russia’s Federal Council (Russia’s upper chamber of parliament) Valentina Matviyenko.
Muhammadato Sultonov, a spokesman for the Majlisi Namoyandagon, says Shukurjon Zuhurov brought the issue to Matviyenko’s attention at a May 19 meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia.
“Shukurjon Zuhurov, in particular, noted that the incident that left three Tajiks dead and 23 others wounded has caused negative reaction in Tajikistan,” Sultonov said.
Tajik parliament speaker also noted that there are certain circles that are unhappy over allied relations between Tajikistan and Russia.
He expressed confidence that the deadly brawl would be thoroughly investigated and those guilty would be punished.
Zuhurov is convinced that the incident at Moscow’s cemetery would have a negative impact on conditions of stay of Tajik labor migrants in the Russian Federation. “Usually, after such incidents Russian law enforcement authorities strengthen pressure on migrants and some Russian politicians and parliamentarians have already begun proposing to deport migrants and introduce visa regime for Tajik nationals,” he said, noting that many Tajik nationals have been deported without any reasons.
Tajik parliament speaker also noted that Tajikistan received the bodies of 4,815 of its citizens from Russia during the period from 2011 to 2016. “379 of them were killed by criminals,” Zuhurov said.
Ms. Matviyenko, for her part, noted that she had taken the investigation in the brawl at the Khovanskoye cemetery under her control.
We will recall that three people were killed and two dozen were wounded on May 14 in the mass brawl at the Khovanskoye cemetery that was reportedly sparked by rivalry between ethnic groups battling for control of the burial service business.
According to the Tajik Interior Ministry’s website, Tajik nationals Suhrob Khushakov, Inoyat Rizoyev and Saynouriddin Sobirov were killed in the brawl. Four other Tajik nationals are reportedly in serious condition. In all, 26 people were reportedly wounded and 23 of them were hospitalized.
The
RIA
news agency quoted a cemetery official as saying people from Russia”s North Caucasus regions of Chechnya and Dagestan had attacked migrants from ex-Soviet Uzbekistan and Tajikistan working there, attempting to take over their jobs.
Quoting a police source,
TASS
news agency said ethnic Chechens, Dagestanis, Uzbeks and Tajiks were among those detained.
The police reportedly recovered from the scene an assault rifle Kalashnikov, 51 empty cartridge cases of different caliber, knuckles, knives, axes, sticks and metal pieces.
Tajikistan”s Interior Ministry has sent to Moscow its top expert in battling organized crime to help investigate the incident.
Twenty-six people have been hospitalized after the brawl, half of them with firearm injuries, a source inside medical circles told
Interfax
.
Moscow officials said on May 16 that 13 injured persons remain in area hospitals, three of whom are in very serious condition.
Police have instituted criminal proceedings in the incident on charges of two or more murders by an organized group, illicit trafficking of firearms, and premeditated hooliganism, (Articles 105, 222 and 213 of the Russian Criminal Code, respectively).
Moscow police have reportedly detained dozens of people allegedly involved in the incident, including a police officer and the director of the cemetery, Yury Chabuyev, who has been dismissed.
