President Emomali Rahmon today met with newly-appointed judges, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
Speaking at the meeting, the head of state reportedly urged the newly appointed judges to ensure the rule of law, transparency, judicial justice and the objective hearing of court cases.
Rahmon called on them to defend legality, citizens’ rights and freedoms, interests of the nations and strictly comply with the requirements of the law.
The Tajik president’s official website notes that by president’s decrees 63 heads and deputy heads of courts as well as judges have been replaced.
It is to be noted that judges have been shaken up against the backcloth of the arrest of five judges this year so far.
Recall, former chairman of the Khujand court Homidjon Muhammadzoda was sentenced to two years in prison on November 11. The sentence 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.
Rahmiddin Rahimzoda, a judge at a court in Dushanbe’s Sino district, was sentenced to five years in prison for bribery.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is currently considering criminal proceedings instituted against Rustam Saidahmadzoda, a judge at the Bobojon-Ghafourov district court, and Ms. Aziza Haidarova, the clerk at the same court.
Saidahmadzoda is charged with exceeding the authority and providing false information, while Haidarova is charged with fraud.
Jamshed Nasiri, the judge at the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) Economic Court, was fired in late May this year.