DUSHANBE, October 2, 2015, Asia-Plus -- Three servicemen have got long jail terms for deadly hazing.

The Sughd regional court sentenced Rabboni Sulaymonov, Komron Rahimov and Ayom Nazarov to 18, 17½ and 17 years in prison respectively on October 1.    

The sentence followed their conviction on charges of abuse of authorities entailing grave consequences or death and violation of army rules.  They will serve their terms in a high-security penal colony.

The court''s ruling was nearly identical to the prosecution''s earlier demand for 20-year term for Rabboni Sulaymonov, 19-year term from Komron Rahimov and 18-year-term fro Ayom Nazarov. 

We will recall that Firdavs Rahmatov from the city of Khujand, the capital of Sughd province was called up for military service on May 7 and on June 7 his body was handed over to his father Ghani Rahmatov.

Firdavs had served in military unit 04080 deployed in the northern city of Konibodom.

Ghani Rahmatov writes on Facebook page that his son died after being severely beaten by older soldiers.

Sughd military prosecutor Abduqodir Nourov on June 11 gave an extraordinary press conference in Khujand over that deadly hazing incident.  According to him, investigation established that Firdavs Rahmatov died after being severely beaten by older soldiers Rabboni Sulaymonov, Komron Rahimov and Ayom Nazarov.

“Dedovshchina,” the often brutal hazing of new recruits by older soldiers, remains a significant problem in the Tajik army.  Human rights organizations in Tajikistan have criticized the government for not doing enough to stop hazing in the military.

In a recent change, Tajikistan’s government now allows soldiers to telephone the military prosecutor''s office to report alleged hazing.