DUSHANBE, September 2, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- By interior minister’s order Anvar Toshev has been relieved of his post of chief of the Norak police department, according to the Ministry of Interior (MoI).

The source at a MoI says the Norak police department chief was dismissed, probably in the wake of recent events in the city of Norak.

Dozens of residents of Norak gathered near the building of the Norak city court on August 25, protesting against sentence passed by the court on five local young men.  Those gathered considered that the sentence was not fair.

The same day, the Norak city court sentenced five local young men aged 19 to 25 to prison terms of between 5½ and 6 years.  The sentenced followed their conviction on charges of robbery.  They were found guilty of robbing 10 shops in the city on the night of March 5-6 this year.

The Norak law enforcement authorities reportedly failed to cope with the situation on their own and assistance from Dushanbe and Qurghon Teppa was needed to take the situation in the city under control.