DUSHANBE
, July 11, Asia-Plus – Azam Badriddinov, a lawyer representing the leader of
Tajikistan
’s Democratic Party (DPT) and former head of Tajik gas concern “Tojikgaz” Mahmadruzi Iskandarov, intends to appeal against the ruling of the appeals court of Tajikistan’s Supreme Court and the Supreme Court’s verdict against his client.
Mr. Badriddinov says that he met with his client in the pretrial detention facility on July 8 to discuss this issue. “It is my first meeting with my client after the Supreme Court passed the verdict against Mahmadruzi Iskandarov in October last year,” Iskandarov’s defense lawyer stressed. According to him, the date of launching the appeal has not yet been determined but he is considering the possibility to do this in near future.
Azam Badriddinov has denounced the ruling by the appeals court to uphold the Supreme Court’s verdict against his client. “I consider the ruling by the appeals court unfounded, and I absolute agree with my client, who maintains his innocence,” the lawyer said.
Mr. Badriddinov has also noted that Mahmadruzi Iskandarov does not complain about his health conditions and prison conditions. “Moreover, the detention facility administration has promised to resolve the problem of access of Mahmadruzi Iskandarov to printing media,” Iskandarov’s lawyer said.
We will recall that the appeals court of Tajikistan”s Supreme Court on January 18 this year upheld the Supreme Court’s verdict against Mahmadruzi Iskandarov. Iskandarov was convicted on terrorism and corruption charges and sentenced to a 23-year prison term in October last year.
