Tajik Interior Minister Ranazon Rahimov met with students and teachers of universities in Dushanbe. The goal of the meeting, which was held on May 11 in the Tajik National University, was to prevent crimes among youth.

Tajik Interior Minister said that nearly one fourth of all crimes are committed by young people, Tajik Interior Ministry told AP. In the past four months this year 25 offenses were committed by Tajik students.

“These are huge figures for such a small country. 23% of crimes are committed by our young people. This is a very huge figure for such a small country. Young people are mainly involved in distribution of synthetic drugs in the form of tablets, theft and hooliganism,” Rahimov has said.

Tajik Interior Minister cited recent crime when several young people killed 24-year-old Parviz Davlatbekov as an example.

“Criminals were punished, minister said, adding that the youngest criminal was only 16 years of age. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison while his accomplices got four years of imprisonment. At the same time, the number of crimes involving young people armed with cold arms is growing, minister stressed,” Tajik Interior Ministry said.