Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper chamber of parliament) Speaker Rustam Emomali has considered an application by relatives of the raped 4-year-old girl from Tursunzoda.
A working session of the Majlisi Milli, presided over by its head, Rustam Emomali, was held on September 11.
Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon, Supreme Court Head Shermahmad Shohiyon and heads of other law enforcement agencies attended the meeting, according to the Majlisi Milli press center.
Tajik chief prosecutor, Supreme Court head and Children’s ombudsman reported on crimes against children, including sexual violence against children, committed in the country during 2017-2018 and over the first eight months of this year.
Prosecutor-general, in particular, noted that suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident that had occurred in Tursunzoda. Investigation is under way and the case is under strict control, Yusuf Rahmon said.
Majlisi Milli speaker reportedly ordered to study the practice of investigating cases related to violation of freedoms of children and minors, humiliation of them and sexual violence against them.
The heinous incident took place in Tursunzoda on August 1. Relatives of a 4-year-old girl say she was raped by her uncle. Meanwhile, The Tursunzoda chief prosecutor’s office has not yet instituted criminal proceedings against the rapist.
Female activist Zulya Rahmatova has called on the Tajik authorities to toughen punishment for sexual violence against children.
In her post on Facebook, Zulya Rahmatova asks President Emomali Rahmon and Dushanbe Mayor Rustam Emomali, who is also Chairman of the Majlisi Milli, to facilitate toughening of the country’s law against pedophiles
She posted a video message by parents of a 4-year-old girl from Tursunzoda, who was raped by her uncle on her Facebook page.
“I ask the whole community to rise up and protect our children! I ask all lawyers, journalists, parliamentarians and activists to write to our president,” the activist says in another post.
It is not the first case of sexual violence against children reported in the country in recent months, and not the first case, when the law enforcement authorities do not bring the criminal to justice, but, on the contrary, blame the victim for what happened.
