22-year-old Abubakr Khuseinzoda, a soldier of the military unit of the border troops stationed in the Matcha district, died under unclear circumstances.
Representatives of the unit told his relatives during the transfer of the body that on August 4, Abubakr “fell and died” in the corridor of the military unit, but the young man’s parents claim that there was a “mark from a strong blow” on his head.
After a forensic medical examination, he was buried on August 5 in his native village of Ovchi, Devashtich district, Sughd region.
Relatives reported that Abubakr left behind a wife and one child. According to them, this spring, after graduating from the Institute of Economics and Trade in Khujand, he “voluntarily” joined the army.
Murod Huseynov, the father of the deceased soldier, told Radio Ozodi on August 6 that his son served in the border troops stationed in the town of Buston, Matcha District. “The last week he was very depressed and begged us to facilitate his transfer to another military unit. When his uncle came to him on August 4, the head of the unit said that Abubakr was in the hospital, and a little later we were informed of his death,” he said.
Official structures do not comment on this case, but when transferring the body, the head of the military unit said that Abubakr “suddenly fell and died in the corridor of the military unit.” The father of the deceased soldier does not believe this explanation, and says that there were marks on the back of the head and neck of his son from a strong blow.
Bobosangin Sanginov, chairman of the Ovchi mahalla, said on August 6 that “the military prosecutor’s office is investigating and we are waiting for their conclusion.”
Azam Alizoda, chairman of the Matcha district, and Ashurali Jalilzoda, chairman of the Devashtich district, who attended the funeral of the soldier, promised the relatives that this fact would be investigated fairly.
Relatives of the deceased soldier reported that two of Abubakr’s colleagues have been detained so far, but they have no other details.
Abubakr was the eldest child in the family, he graduated from the Institute of Economics and Trade in Khujand with a degree in accounting and in May he volunteered to serve in the army. After the service, he wanted to work in the banking sector.
The government of Tajikistan, in a report sent to the UN Human Rights Committee, said that from 2019 to 2021, more than 100 soldiers died in the Tajik army due to hazing, abuse of recruits and abuse of power by commanders in the Tajik army.
The Tajik authorities each time attribute the death of soldiers to their illness or accident, and in rare cases, officials of the military unit or commanders are punished for the death of military personnel. Although the General Prosecutor’s Office of Tajikistan in a recent report said that over the past three years, 639 officials who covered up crimes in military units have been prosecuted.
Source : Радио Озоди
