DUSHANBE, December 24, 2012, Asia-Plus – The trial of Dilovarsho Qosimov, an alleged murderer of president’s brother-in-law Kholmumin Safarov, began in Dushanbe on December 24.
The Hakimov brothers, Mahmadtohir and Mahmadfozil, are on the trial together with Qosimov.
The trial is being held behind closed doors at the pretrial detention facility of the Ministry of Justice.
Shuhrat Qudratov, a lawyer representing Dilovarsho Qosimov, says proceedings started with the reading of the indictment, which charges Dilovarsho Qosimov with murder, illegal weapon possession and polygamy.
Meanwhile, Mahmadtohir Hakimov and Mahmadfozil Hakimov face charge of not reporting the murder.
The defense lawyer filed two applications: 1) challenging one of prosecutors, who headed the investigation group over this case; and 2) revoking the ‘top secret’ classification from the case.
According to Qudratov, the investigation into the murder of Kholmumin Safarov was classified as ‘top secret’ illegally, “because the case does not contain any materials related to state secret.”
We will recall that the investigation into the murder of president’s brother-in-law was classified as ‘top secret’ on November 26.
As it had been reported earlier, Kholmumin Safarov, 57, was found dead after being shot by unknown assailants on June 13 this year. Police say Safarov was shot in the head, chest, and stomach. The shooting is reported to have occurred as he was returning to his home after evening prayers at a nearby mosque.
A native of Khatlon’s Vose district, Safarov, the husband of Rahmon”s eldest sister, had been serving as chief of the Tajik government”s forest and hunting agency. Some media sources say that while many of the president”s relatives control major Tajik companies and banks, Safarov wasn”t known to be involved in big business.
Tajik law enforcement officials noted that Dilovarsho Qosimov, the suspect in the murder of Kholmumin Safarov, the brother-in-law of Tajikistan”s President Emomali Rahmon, was detained in Dushanbe on July 13. Tajik Interior Affairs Ministry officials said at a press conference that the suspect was detained following a lengthy undercover operation.
