DUSHANBE, September 21, 2011, Asia-Plus -- The court hearing on a lawsuit filed by Major-General Anvar Taghoymurodov, formerly head of the Interior Ministry organized crime control department (UBOP), against the Asia-Plus newspaper that was supposed to take place today has been postponed.

The newspaper’s defense lawyer Shuhrat Qudratov says the judge ordered adjournment because the plaintiff’s representatives did not appear before the court.  “It is the second time that Taghoymurodov’s representatives have not appeared before the court without any notification,” said the lawyer.  “The hearing was adjourned on September 21 until September 23.”

We will recall that Anvar Taghoymurodov, who is now Deputy Minister of Interiors,  in late January filed the defamation lawsuit in the court in Dushanbe’s Firdavsi district against the Asia-Plus newspaper, asking for 1 million somoni as compensation for moral damage caused by article published by the newspaper.  The Interior Ministry high-ranking official, who filed the lawsuit as private citizen, claims that the article entitled “Investigation or Inquisition?” printed in the newspaper in December defames his honor and reputation.

The article published in the December 21, 2010 edition of the newspaper told of the use of torture on some suspects by UBOP agents in Sughd province.