QURGHON TEPPA, September 15, 2011, Asia-Plus -- An amnestied prison inmate has kicked up a drunken brawl in Qurghon Teppa, the administrative center of Khatlon province.

Mirzojon Tohirov, 37, who was released under a prison amnesty on August 20, reportedly kicked up the drunken brawl in Qurghon Teppa Wednesday night.  Being in a state of drunkenness, he broke a window glass in the office of the district police officer.

“Tohirov also insulted the police patrol that came to the scene.  He even threatened them with kitchen knife,” Jurakhon Madiyev, the chief of staff of the Khatlon police directorate, told Asia-Plus Thursday afternoon.  He also insulted the president, Madiyev added.

According to him, criminal proceedings have been instituted against Mirzojon Tohirov under the provisions of four articles of Tajikistan’s Penal Code: Article 137 (1) – publicly insulting the President of the Republic of Tajikistan; Article 237 (2) – hooliganism that entailed moderate bodily injury; Article 255 (1) – deliberate destruction of property; and Article 328 (1) – involvement in prostitution by means of violence.

It is to be noted that Article 137 stipulates that “publicly insulting the President of the Republic of Tajikistan or slander addressed to him” is punishable by up to five years n jail.   

Tohirov has previous convictions for theft (Article 244) and fraud (Article 247).