An investigation is ongoing in the Tajik northern city of Khujand into a criminal case involving four police officers implicated in the torture of detainee Nemat Ashourmatov, the Civil Society Coalition of Tajikistan against Torture and Impunity (Coalition) reported on October 30.
Currently, two of the officers are in custody, one is under house arrest, and the fourth is wanted.
The incident reportedly occurred on February 22, 2024, when Ashourmatov was detained on suspicion of drug trafficking and subsequently tortured at the police department.
“On February 27, 2024, during a prosecutor's inspection of the detention center, criminal proceedings were instituted regarding Ashourmatov’s beating. Forensic examination found 26 signs of injuries on his body, including 23 bruises and three scratches from blunt object blows; however, these injuries do not pose a risk to his health,” the report stated.
Ashourmatov’s family reached out to the Prosecutor General’s Office for assistance in pursuing criminal charges against the police officers.
On April 29, the Sughd Regional Prosecutor’s Office filed charges under Article 316 (3) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code — exceeding official authority), which carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
The Coalition has reportedly provided Ashourmatov with attorneys to defend his rights, who submitted a motion to reclassify the officers’ actions under Article 143 (1) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – torture. However, this request was reportedly denied. The investigation is underway.
Meanwhile, in Tajikistan, cases of torture and detainee deaths are rarely fully and effectively investigated, and in some instances, even the reasons for subjecting detainees to torture remain unclear.
It is to be noted that police brutality and the use of torture by investigators in Tajikistan has been an issue raised by human rights organizations for years.
In 2019, Tajik authorities toughened punishment for torture in custody, increasing the maximum punishment for that crime from five years to 15 years in prison.
