Abduqahhor Azizov, the prosecutor of the city of Buston (formerly Chkalovsk) in Sughd province, has been dismissed following a conflict with the owner of the “Parliament” restaurant, Parviz Ashourov. The information was confirmed to Asia-Plus by Daler Mahmadalizoda, Deputy Prosecutor of Buston.
Mahmadalizoda said no further details regarding Azizov’s dismissal were available and did not clarify whether the decision was directly linked to the incident at the restaurant. The position of city prosecutor remains vacant.
Earlier, on January 19, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi reported that following the publication of a report on a fight involving the Buston prosecutor and a restaurant owner in Khujand, Azizov was removed from office and dismissed from the prosecution service by order of the country’s Prosecutor-General.
So far, neither the authorities nor the parties involved have officially commented on the incident. The Prosecutor-General’s Office has neither confirmed nor denied Azizov’s dismissal.
According to Radio Ozodi, a minor nephew of Parviz Ashourov is currently being held in custody in connection with the case.
The management of the “Parliament” restaurant, located inside a hotel of the same name, declined to comment. An Asia-Plus correspondent who visited the site on the morning of January 20 was told by a security guard that the management had not returned to work after the New Year holidays and was not communicating with the media.
Radio Ozodi reports that the conflict occurred in late December. According to the outlet, the dispute began when the prosecutor, who was at the restaurant with friends, allegedly assaulted Ashourov. In response, Ashourov and several of his relatives reportedly attacked the prosecutor.
To separate those involved, a police officer present at the restaurant fired a warning shot into the air. Additional police units later arrived at the scene to investigate the incident.
According to the source, Abduqahhor Azizov is the son of Abdujabbor Azizov, a former president’s aide for personnel affairs and former first deputy chairman of the ruling People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan. Parviz Ashourov is the former son-in-law of Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasoulzoda.
Similar incidents involving children or close relatives of senior officials have previously been reported in Tajikistan. In particular, media outlets have repeatedly covered conflicts involving the sons of former Energy Minister Gul Sherali.
