DUSHANBE, December 7, 2015, Asia-Plus -- Seven residents of Tajikistan''s southwestern Shahritous district have been jailed for raising the Islamic State (IS) extremist organization''s flag in a public place, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reports.

The Khatlon regional court''s judge, Zubaidullo Mahmoudzoda, told RFE/RL’s Tajik Service  on December 4 that the seven men, three of whom are younger than 18, had been found guilty on December 1 of publicly calling to overthrow the government and recruiting people to illegally fight abroad.

They were sentenced to prison terms between seven and 27 years in jail the same day.

The men were arrested in August after they raised a black flag looking similar to the one known as the IS flag in the center of the district''s capital, Shahritous.

Tajik authorities have said that some 500 Tajik nationals are fighting alongside IS militants in Syria and Iraq.