The Sughd Regional Court has handed down a ruling to fine a 22-year-old Navrouz Nourzoda from Zafarobod district 36,000 somonis for avoiding military service. Prior to this, he had claimed that police officers “beat him like a soccer ball,” Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, reported on April 8.
The court's decision was made on April 2, but he and his relatives disagree with it.
"They didn’t even enter the courtroom, stating that everything had already been decided. They imposed the fine and said they wouldn’t take me for military service. I demand that they acquit me and enlist me in the military service because I can’t afford to pay the fine," Navrouz Nourzoda said in an interview with Radio Ozodi.
Earlier, the Zafarobod District Court made a similar decision. They stated that since Navrouz Nourzoda had spent two months in detention, the fine was reduced.
Navrouz Nourzoda was detained on December 8, 2024, when returning from Russia at the Fotehobod-Oybek border crossing point (BCP) on the Tajik-Uzbek border and was brought to the Zafarobod district police station. According to his statement and that of his parents, police officers beat him.
The authorities said that he had ignored the call-up to the military registration and enlistment office and refused to serve in the army, which is why he was detained.
Navrouz and his relatives reportedly claim that he never intended to avoid military service, but simply went to Russia for work and returned to the country intending to serve in the military.
“I complained about the torture, but nothing was done. I was tortured in the Zafarobod police station. My health is not very good. My back hurts, and I can't run. No actions were taken against them. I want those who tortured and abused me to be held accountable," the young man said.
Now, he and his lawyer are determined to appeal to higher courts to fully acquit Navrouz and hold the officials of the Zafarobod police station accountable.
"According to the verdict of the Zafarobod District Court, he must pay the fine. Those who are deprived of freedom by the court for committing a crime are exempt from military service. In this regard, Navrouz Nourzoda expressed his position about appealing to the supervisory court," said lawyer Dilafrouz Samadova.
Complaints of torture in Tajikistan have been registered in previous years as well. In some cases, law enforcement officers were punished for the use of torture, but in others, no one was held accountable.
Tajikistan is regularly criticized by international organizations for the mistreatment and torture of suspects in pre-trial detention.
