KHUJND, August 30, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- A case pitting Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda, a prominent Tajik religious figure, against Hoji Hussein Mousozoda, the head of the Council of Ulamo in Sughd province, Hoji Nasrullo Azizov, imam-khatib of the main mosque of the city of Isfara, Hoji Maqsoudjon Urunov, imam-khatib of the main mosque of he city of Konibodom, and Tohir Iskandari, a journalist with the Sughd regional TV station, started in the Khujand city court on August 30.

Ms. Justice Matlouba Habibulloyeva, who is presiding over the trial, did not allow the Asia-Plus’s correspondent to attend the trial, justifying that by saying that “it is just a preliminary hearing.”

Lawyer Fayzinisso Vohidova, representing Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda in the trial, noted that Turajonzoda had filed the defamation lawsuit against the mentioned persons.

According to her, the judge has assigned a linguistic examination to determine whether statements by the defendants were really insulting and libelous.