In Khuroson district of Khatlon province, a woman was detained for severely beating her underage son in a public place.
A video of the incident, filmed by witnesses, has circulated in the Tajik segment of social media.
The Interior Ministry’s Office in Khatlon province says the detained woman was identified as 35-year-old Dilorom Hakimova.
"This video sparked a strong public reaction. Social media users condemned the mother and called on the Khatlon police department to take legal action regarding her behavior," read a statement released by the Interior Ministry’s Office in Khatlon province department's statement read.
During the investigation, regional police officers arrested the woman and handed her over to the Khuroson district police department.
It was revealed that she is a resident of the district but temporarily residing in Dushanbe.
The video shows the woman brutally beating her 10-year-old son on the street. She hits the child in the face, causing him to bleed.
According to the police, the necessary materials regarding the detained woman have been prepared and are currently under review by law enforcement authorities.
In Tajikistan, the scale of violence against children is vastly underestimated, partially because prevalence estimates come from administrative data used by the health or justice systems and partly because of the widespread beliefs that lead people to see violence as a norm rather than a problem demanding attention. A study carried by UNICEF in several districts found that violence is a widespread form of disciplinary punishment within communities around the country.
It is to be noted that in August this year, Tajikistan became the 67th country worldwide to ban corporal punishment of children. Tajikistan has achieved full prohibition of corporal punishment of children with the enactment of The Law of The Republic of Tajikistan on Responsibility for Child Education and Upbringing 2024 (Former Law on Parents Responsibilities in Child Upbringing 2011).
