DUSHANBE, October 16, Asia-Plus - In January-September 2006, 27 cases of "dedovshchina," the often brutal hazing of new recruits by older soldiers (bullying), have been officially registered in the country’s national army, which is 10 cases fewer compared to the same period of last year, Tajik Main Military Prosecutor Yusuf Rahmonov remarked in a news conference in Dushanbe on October 16. 

Since 1991, some 7,000 servicemen that were serving their sentences for bullying have been amnestied, Yusuf Rahmonov said. 

According to him, no instances of violation of the conscription requirements by the military recruitment offices have been recorded over the same nine-month period.     

We will recall that Major-General Akbar Qayumov, the head of the organizational and mobile department of the Ministry of Defense (MoD), said in an interview with Asia-Plus on October 4 that in all, not less than 6,000 young men of call-up age will be drafted in the country’s armed forces during the autumn conscription campaign.  He added that during this year’s spring conscription campaign 8,000 young men had been conscripted.   Asked about quality of contingent drafted into the army, Qayumov said, “Our resources allow carrying out proper selection.”  At the same time, he noted that some 40 percent of young men of call-up age in the country have health problems.