QURGHON TEPPA, October 26, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- A judge at the Khatlon regional economic court has been detained on suspicion of having been involved in bribery.

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, the deputy chief of the Khatlon anticorruption directorate, Millopar Bandishoyev, said that their officers detained Tolibzhon Bouriyev, a judge with the Khatlon economic regional court, at the end of last week.  “Bouriyev demanded 500 U.S. dollars over one case and he was caught red-handed when taking bribe,” Bandishoyev said.

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against Bouriyev under the provisions of Article 319 (Bribery) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code and an investigation is under way.