Why do people in Tajikistan want to evade military service by any means?

In Tajikistan, military service is considered one of the undesirable experiences that young men aged 18 to 27 may undergo. Every year, twice a year, young people are drafted for compulsory service in the Tajik army, where hazing, hunger, and unsanitary conditions are widespread. In this regard, parents of young men try to protect their children and often resort to bribery or other corrupt schemes. In Gissar, a military enlistment officer and a hospital paramedic were detained for fraud.

According to the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption of the Republic, a citizen F. Amirov approached them with a complaint about an illegal demand for 17,000 somoni for his inclusion in the list of alternative conscripts. “This amount was demanded from him by the head of the financial and economic department of the Gissar military enlistment office B. Karimov and the paramedic of the Gissar Central Hospital N. Salimov. At the end of February, they received 8,000 somoni, and then demanded another 9,000 somoni,” the agency reported.

A criminal case has been initiated regarding this incident in accordance with Article 247, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan (fraud). It provides for punishment in the form of a fine ranging from 365 to 912 calculation indicators (one indicator is 72 somoni) or imprisonment for a term of two to five years. The preliminary investigation is ongoing.

We remind you that conscripts in Tajikistan can undergo paid alternative service. The cost of alternative military service is estimated at 51,000 somoni (approximately 4,700 USD). Those interested can apply to the draft commission at their place of residence with a statement; they are added to the list in order of priority based on the date of application submission and full payment of the service cost. The money is transferred to a special account of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan through “Amonatbank,” and the payment receipt must be provided to the military enlistment office within 5 working days after the application is accepted. The full amount must be paid at once. If the conscript fails to pay or provide the receipt on time, he will not be included in the list and will therefore be obliged to be drafted for compulsory military service. A reasonable question arises: which family in Tajikistan can have an amount of nearly 5,000 USD for a one-time payment to the Ministry of Defense with an average salary of 1,648 somoni (150 USD)?