The Prosecutor General's Office of Tajikistan initiated a criminal investigation into the death of 50-year-old resident of Dusti district Tolibjon Dustov. The man died July 26 immediately after his detention by local Department of the Interior officers.
The Prosecutor General's Office of Tajikistan instituted criminal proceedings against members of the Department of Internal Affairs of Dusti district of Khatlon region under the article "excess of official authority". However, the relatives of the deceased Tolibjon Dustov were insisted that a criminal case be initiated under the article "torture", reported on the website of the Coalition of Civil Society Against Torture and Impunity in Tajikistan.
Tolibjon Dustov was detained on July 26 in a cafe in the administrative center of Shaartuz district. A few hours later, relatives found a man dead in a hospital in the Kabadiyan district.
According to the mother of the deceased, Mehri Davlatova, police officers detained her son on July 26, the day before the man celebrated his 50th birthday. “About the detention of my son told me his friend. He called and said that they were sitting in a cafe when police officers arrived and took Tolibjon with them. We immediately appealed to the Department of Internal Affairs of Shaartuz and Kabadiyan districts. But did not find him there. Then we were informed that my son is in the regional hospital of Kabadiyan. When I arrived there, my son was already dead. We were informed that he was detained by officers of the Department of Internal Affairs in the Dusti district”, – Mehri Davlatova said.
She is sure that her son's death came as a result of illegal actions of police officers. “We think that he was beaten on the way, and when they brought to the hospital, he was already dead”, – a woman claims.
At the same time it was reported that according to the official version, a man died of a heart attack, which happened to him on the way to the Department of Internal Affairs.
Relatives wrote an application to the Prosecutor General's Office with a request to initiate a criminal case against police officers under Art. 143 (Torture) of the Criminal Code.
But, as indicated on the website of the Coalition in response to their statement, the family of the deceased received an answer from the Prosecutor General's Office signed by First Deputy Prosecutor General Hotam Nazarzoda, where it is stated that the claims set out in the application were only partially confirmed.
“Based on the facts revealed, a criminal case was opened against the Department of Internal Affairs officers of the Dusti district under art. 316. Part 1 (Excess of official authority) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan. The investigation into this case will be conducted by the investigator of the Office for especially important cases of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Tajikistan", – on the website of the coalition reported.
