KHUJAND, May 23, Asia-Plus – A regional court in Sughd has completed consideration of criminal proceedings instituted against six members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) and sentenced them to lengthy prison terms ranging from nine to nineteen years. Five of those sentenced are residents of the Tajik
northern province
of Sughd and another one is a citizen of
Russia
, resident of the Russian city of
Saransk
42-year-old Ryasim Bashirov.
A reliable source in the Sughd regional court has told Asia-Plus that the defendants were convicted on charges of organizing a criminal group, terrorism, hostage taking, illegal bearing, possessing and acquiring weapons.
Four residents of Sughd – a 32-year-old Saidmashhud Ikromov, a 43-year-old Bakhtiyor Jalolov, a 27-yearold Nasrullo Abdurrashidov as well as 30-year-old Abbos Mirahmadov – and Ryasim Bashirov were sentenced to 19 years’ imprisonment each.
Resident of the Tajik northern district of Bobojonghafurov 25-year-old Tohirjon Ochilov faced charges under three articles of Tajik Criminal Code – Article 37 (complicity I crime), Article 170 (polygamy) and Article 182 (capture of buildings, facilities and communications means) – and was sentenced to nine years in jail.
All members of the criminal group were detained last autumn. The law enforcement officers confiscated firearms, 80 sleeping bags, and computers and audio and video recordings of subversive content.
