In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, the Interior Minister Ramazon Rahimzoda noted on February 14 that riot in the Khujand high-security penal colony was raised by inmates who were serving their terms for membership in terrorist and extremist groups.
According to him, the rioters took seven prison guards hostage and began making demands on the government.
“Special police unit was sent to Khujand prison to release hostages,” said the minister. “Unfortunately, riot police failed to save two hostages, they were killed, but five other hostages were released,” Rahimzoda noted.
Recall, the riot broke out at a high-security penal colony 3/3 in the northern city of Khujand late on November 7.
According to some sources, several inmates convicted of religious extremism and terrorism raised the riot at the Khujand high-security penal colony. They were reportedly armed with cold steels and one of them managed to disarm a guard, took his assault rifle and began shooting at guards and wardens.
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.”
Meanwhile, the Tajik authorities issued no public statements on the incident for more than two weeks after the violence.
Tajikistan authorities made the first comments on the Khujand prison riot on November 22.
Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin told reporters in Brussels on November 22 that 21 inmates were killed during the incident. He said that “12 of the rioters had fought in Syria and Iraq alongside Islamic State (IS) militants” and that three others were in prison after convictions for membership in other, unspecified, extremist groups.
Muhriddin also said that two other inmates were killed “while trying to help prison guards,” but provided no further explanation of that comment. Muhriddin also stated that two prison guards were killed and five others wounded.
Meanwhile, six prison officers, including a department chief, had reportedly been arrested on negligence charges. The arrests come amid mounting discussion regarding prison conditions.
A special group of the Prosecutor-General’s Office is investigating the Khujand prison riot.
