QURHGON TEPPA, August 1, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- The Khatlon regional prosecutor’s office has completed investigation into case of Turkish national Saleh Uzbek and the case has already moved to a court.

Bahrom Shomirov, a senior investigator with the Khatlon prosecutor’s office, says criminal proceedings have instituted against Saleh Uzbek under the provisions of Article 289 (2) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – smuggling.

According to him, inspection of persons proceeding via the checkpoint, Nizhny Paynj, from Tajikistan to Afghanistan on June 6 found a large consignment of adornments having a special artistic value in luggage belonging to the Turkish national Saleh Uzbek.  Saleh Uzbek reportedly attempted to remove 96 suzani (a type of embroidered and decorative textile) and several women’s decorations from Tajikistan without appropriate documents.

“Saleh Uzbek’s guilt has been proved and his case has moved to the Qumsangir district court,” the senior investigator noted.

In the meantime, Saleh Uzbek’s defense lawyer Sharif Hayotov noted that his client had purchased those things not for sale but as souvenirs for his relatives.  “He did not know that it is necessary to obtain a special permit from the Ministry of Culture for removing them from Tajikistan,” the lawyer noted.