The Supreme Court of Tajikistan has sentenced Saifullo Azimov to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of a woman and her three underage children in the village of Daryobod, Roudaki district. The verdict was confirmed by Halim Ibrohimov, the father of the victims, in a statement to Asia-Plus.
According to Ibrohimov, the final court session took place on December 8 at the Supreme Court building.
"The judge sentenced Saifullo Azimov to life. That’s exactly what I was hoping for. I am satisfied with the court’s decision," he said.
Asia-Plus has also learned that a verdict was handed down for another defendant in the case — a minor identified as N.S. However, due to legal restrictions, the details of that ruling cannot be disclosed. It was previously reported that the two suspects were tried separately.
Attempts by Asia-Plus to obtain comments from the Prosecutor-General’s Office and the Supreme Court were unsuccessful. The stance of the defendants’ lawyers and relatives on the sentencing also remains unknown.
The shocking crime occurred during the night of September 5–6. The victims were 44-year-old Shahlo Nazarova and her children: 17-year-old Habiba, 15-year-old Hamida, and 12-year-old Sharif.
Following the tragedy in Daryobod, fear and anxiety gripped the local community. Rumors and speculation spread rapidly among residents, and the brutal crime became the focus of intense discussion.
The day after the funeral, Asia-Plus journalists visited the village and spoke with neighbors of the murdered family.
Later, Halim Ibrohimov, the head of the family, gave a detailed interview to the outlet. Referring to statements from relatives, neighbors, and officials, he shared more information about the events leading up to the killings.
According to Ibrohimov, convicted killer Saifullo Azimov was his neighbor, living just one house up the street. The second defendant, the minor identified as N.S., is related to Azimov but resides in another village.
“Saifullo’s family had good relations with us. He always treated me with respect, calling me ‘Akai Halim.’ They used to borrow firewood and milk from us; his wife and mother would often visit our home. They knew about our life and daily affairs. There was no conflict between us, and when I heard he was detained on suspicion of the murders, I couldn’t believe it at first,” Ibrohimov recalled.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan also officially confirmed the arrest of both suspects in connection with the murder of the four family members.
