DUSHANBE, July 20, 2010, Asia-Plus -- Abdurasoul Mirzoyev - a brother of jailed ex-director the counternarcotics agency Ghaffor Mirzoyev – has got a jail term of 30 years.

The Supreme Court today ruled that Abdurasoul Mirzoyev be given a jail term of 30 years and that he will serve it in a high-security penal colony.  The sentence followed his conviction on the charges of terrorism, illegal possession of weapons and coup attempt.

The source at the Supreme Court told Asia-Plus Tuesday afternoon that the trial was carried out behind doors because the case contained facts referred to state secret.

We will recall that Abdurasoul Mirzoyev fled the country after he was charged with illegal weapons possession.  He was engaged in trade in the United Arab Emirates for several years.  Abdurasoul Mirzoyev was reportedly arrested and extradited to Tajikistan in 2009.

Lieutenant-General Ghaffor Mirzoyev, once the former commander of the 3,000-strong Presidential Guard and the former head of the Drug Control Agency, was jailed for life in August 2006 on charges ranging from tax evasion, corruption, abuse of power, plotting a coup and the murder of a police officer in 1998.