DUSHANBE, May 10, Asia-Plus - The Supreme Court has sentenced former United Tajik Opposition (UTO) militant Hokmatullo Ibrohimov to long prison term after finding him guilty of committing a number grave crimes in Tajikistan in 1992-93.  

The Supreme Court on May 8 ruled that Ibrohimov be given 15-year prison term and that he should serve it in a high-security penal colony. 

Judge Salim Khojayev, who took in the trial, told Asia-Plus that Ibrohimov faced charges of banditry, extortion and robbery.   

The judge noted that the convicted had also been involved in killing of two militants of the field commander Rezvon Sodirov – Islomiddin Sattorov and Zikriyo Sharipov.  “Ibrohimov claims that Sattorov and Sharipov had allegedly committed numerous robberies and other crimes on behalf of him, while he had never made such orders; therefore, he decided to get even with them,” said the judge.  “Meanwhile, according to witnesses, Hokmatullo himself participated in numerous robberies in Dushanbe and the nearby districts.” 

According to Khojayev, Ibrohimov was arrested in Tajikistan in January 2007.