Public Reaction: Official Who Fatally Struck Pedestrian Still Galloping in Power?

In May of this year, Akbar Mukiddinzoda, the deputy chairman of the Bobojon Gafurov district of the Sughd region, killed a pedestrian in a traffic accident, but the district chairman believes that his deputy is not guilty.

As reported by the media, on July 31, 2023, the chairman of the Bobojon Gafurov district of the Sughd region, Nusratullo Salimzoda, stated at a press conference that his deputy Akbar Mukiddinzoda was involved in a fatal traffic accident in May of this year.

“Akbar Mukiddinzoda was taking his sick mother to the hospital at 1 AM when he got into the accident. It was not the driver, but the pedestrian who was drunk. Moreover, everyone has enemies,” said Nusratullo Salimzoda.

The words of the chairman of the Bobojon Gafurov district sparked outrage on social media. Some express dissatisfaction with the chairman’s logic and write: “Would an enemy throw themselves under the wheels of a car to die?”

Social media activist Azizullo Mirzozoda also expressed confusion over the chairman’s logic in defending his deputy. “So, according to this logic, if a person was not drunk, they are not guilty of the pedestrian’s death?” he questions.

“Whether he was drunk or not, he took a person’s life. Shouldn’t he be held accountable under the law? Or do government officials enjoy privileges? His chairman even says that the pedestrian was drunk. Then why did this sober official kill a drunk pedestrian and still remains in a position of power?” writes user Zulaykho Khasanova.

Meanwhile, two months after the fatal traffic accident involving the deputy chairman of the Bobojon Gafurov district, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor’s Office have still not commented on the incident.

“If the driver were a poor car owner and had even hit a dog belonging to these officials, he would have been sentenced to 15 years in a ‘strict’ regime,” writes Rustam Amir Davlat.

Nusratullo Salimzoda has worked in the healthcare sector for 32 years. From 1985 to 2004, he held various positions in healthcare. From 2004 to 2006, he served as the director of the Project Management Center for Healthcare System Reform in Tajikistan. From 2006 to 2008, he was the first deputy minister of health of the Republic of Tajikistan. From 2008 to 2017, he was appointed Minister of Health of Tajikistan.

However, the question is whether the former health minister has taken such a position for the first time, or throughout his 30-year career in healthcare, he has previously covered up the crimes of officials, declaring them “innocent” while labeling ordinary victims as “enemies” and “drunks,” thus branding them as criminals?