The press center of the Tajik Prosecutor-General’s Office says sons of 124 officials have gone to serve in the army during the ongoing autumn conscription campaign.
Among them are reportedly sons of heads of Fayzobod, Tojikobod and Rasht districts, mayor of Bokhtar city, chief prosecutors of Jaloliddini-Balkhi and Muminobod districts, the Kulob military prosecutor and the head of the accounting and finance department of the Prosecutor-General’s Office.
The press center notes that sons of 299 officials were drafted into the army during the last year’s autumn conscription campaign and sons of 120 officials were drafted into the army during the spring conscription campaign.
Before the start of the autumn conscription campaign, Defense Minister Sherali Mirzo reportedly turned to his subordinates and emphasized that they should refrain from methods of forced conscription and draft more children of officials into the army.
In the past, some experts noted that one of the reasons for desertion from the army was the fact that sons of officials were not drafted into the army that leads to social inequality in society.
According to the Ministry of Defense, every year, some 15,000-16,000 young Tajik men are drafted into the country’s armed forces. The two-month-long effort seeking to enlist young men aged 18-27 for the two-year compulsory military service takes place twice a year, in the spring and in the autumn.
Young Tajiks can avoid or postpone military service if they are ill, studying at university, an only son, or if they have two children.
Meanwhile, amendments have been made to the country’s law on military service this year. The amendments came into effect on February 4 last year and young men in Tajikistan who wish to forgo the military service may now do so by paying a fee to the government. A one-month basic reserve service will be organized for those who did not perform conscript service for a fee. At the end of basic reserve service they will receive military cards.
Besides, under the law on the universal military duty in new edition, graduates of universities having military department will also be drafted into the army for one year.
Only people who have done military service will be permitted to obtain employment with the government or join the army in a professional capacity.
Tajikistan’s armed forces consist of Ground Forces, Mobile Forces (paratroopers of the armed forces of Tajikistan), Air Force and Air Defense Force.
