DUSHANBE, February 6, 2014, Asia-Plus – An inmate of Dushanbe prison, who was held in disciplinary cell, has died of exposure to cold, Rahmatillo Zoyirov, leader of the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDP), told Asia-Plus Thursday afternoon.

“Mahmadrahim Saidov from Khatlon’s Hamadoni district was a 46-year-old inmate who died of exposure to cold,” Rahmatillo Zoyirov told Asia-Plus in an interview, noting that he received that information from a reliable source.

According to him, Tajik Human Rights Ombudsman Zarif Alizoda has already been informed of that incident. 

SDP leader further added that there was information that it was not an isolated case.  “There is information that two or three inmates of Dushanbe penal colony have died of exposure to cold,” Zoyirov noted.

 Tajik Human Rights Ombudsman Zarif Alizoda said Thursday afternoon that he has received information about death of prison inmate, “but it has not been confirmed so far.”

Meanwhile, the Penal System Department of the Ministry of Justice of Tajikistan has denied that information as unfounded.