The warden of a prison in the northern city of Khujand that witnessed a deadly riot earlier this month has reportedly been arrested.
Tajik law enforcement sources told Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service on November 16 that Faizullo Safarzod was detained the day before and charged with negligence and abuse of power.
According to the sources, Safarzod is accused of failing to inform Tajikistan's Penitentiary Service in a timely fashion about the riot after it erupted late on November 7.
News of the warden's reported arrest has not been officially confirmed by the Tajik authorities, according to RFE/RL’s Tajik Service.
The Sughd prosecutor's office reportedly refused to comment on the report, saying that the case is being handled by the Prosecutor-General's Office in Dushanbe.
Recall, officials in a state entry told RFE/RL’s Tajik Service last week that at least 52 people, including two prison guards, were killed in the Khujand prison riot.
It is not clear what sparked the riot that was suppressed by riot police sent to the prison.
Meanwhile, Amaq news agency, which is linked to the Islamic State (IS) terror group, reported on November 8 that one of IS fighters “is responsible for the attack in Tajikistan that sparked a prison riot.”
Some media outlets have dwelled on the fact that the Khujand high-security penal colony has been used to hold people convicted on charges of belonging to radical religious organizations.
