DUSHANBE, January 22, 2014, Asia-Plus – A Tajik anti-torture coalition has called on the government to thoroughly investigate the death of Umedjon Tojiyev allegedly tortured while in custody.

In a statement released on January 21, the NGO Coalition against Torture in Tajikistan expressed serious concern about the death of 34 year-old Umedjon Tojiyev, member of the Islamic Revival Party (IRP) in Isfara, who died in a prison hospital in Khujand, Sughd province on January 19, 2014. 

We will recall that Tojiyev died on January 19 more than two months after falling from the third floor of the Isfara police station.

Umedjon Tojiyev jumped from a third-floor window on November 2 and broke his leg.  He was officially being charged with organizing a criminal group.  Tojiyev was initially arrested on October 30 for refusing to follow police instructions.

Tojiyev was reportedly transferred from an investigative center in the northern city of Isfara to a prison hospital in the city of Khujand on January 4.

Prison physicians say that Tojiyev died of a heart attack but his relatives say may have died after being tortured while in custody.  The body reportedly carries traces of torture and beating and use of electric shock torture.

The Coalition of NGOs Against Torture, which consists of several independent law consultancy groups, is demanding that authorities investigate Tojiyev’s case.

“The NGO Coalition Against Torture emphasizes that this was not the first case of death resulting from torture in pre-trial detention and correctional facilities in Tajikistan over the past few years. In particular, we draw attention to the following cases:

“Safarali Sangov,37, died in hospital on March 5, 2011from injuries sustained in what his relatives say was a severe beating at the Sino district police station. the National Medical Hospital “Kara Bolo”, four days after he was brought to the hospital unconscious with many bodily injuries from the Department of Internal Affairs – 1 of Sino district of Dushanbe city.

“Bahromiddin Shodiyev died at the age 28 in hospital on October 30, 2011 eleven days after he was arrested on the theft-related charges.

“Dilshodbek Murodov died in August 2009 at the age of 34 in Penal Colony # 3/1 in Dushanbe.

“Ismoil Bachajonov died on January 2011 at the age of 32 in pretrial detention center #1 in Dushanbe as a result of torture.

“Ismonboi Boboyev died as a result of torture in February 2010 at the age of 30 during the interrogation at the regional organized crime control department in Khujand, Sughd province.

“Khushed Bobokalonov died at the age of 33 in June 2009 on the way to the police station in Dushanbe’s Ismoili Somoni district after he was detained by police officers.

“Hamzaali Ikromzoda died at the age of 27 on 20 September 2012 in penal colony # 3/1 in Dushanbe, where he was serving a sentence for a prior crime.”

The NGO Coalition against Torture in Tajikistan demands through investigations into all cases of death in pretrial detention centers and penal colonies.