Former chairman of the Khujand court Homidjon Muhammadzoda has been jailed for bribery.
Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, says the Supreme Court of Tajikistan sentenced Homidjon Muhammadzoda to two years in prison on November 11. The sentence reportedly followed his conviction on the charge bribery.
Meanwhile, Tajikistan’s Penal Code stipulates that bribery is punishable by imprisonment for a term of five to ten years.
The reason for passing such a lenient sentence on the ex-head of the Khujand court is unknown, Radio Ozodi notes.
Information about the arrest of the Khujand city court, judge Rustam Mahmadsaidzoda and defense lawyer Shokirjon Hojiboyev leaked to the media in early May, and the anticorruption agency later confirmed the initiation of criminal proceedings against them in a written response to the Asia-Plus request.
On May 30, President Emomali Rahmon dismissed Muhammadzoda from the post of chairman of the Khujand city court in connection with the commission of an act discrediting the honor and dignity of a judge. Mahmadsaidzoda also lost his post with the same wording.
