Chairman of the District Court of Khatlon Region removed from his position

The President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, signed a decree on July 18 relieving Zohir Muminzoda from his position as chairman of the Shamsiddin Shohin district court in Khatlon region due to actions that dishonor the dignity and honor of a judge.

Earlier, sources from Radio Ozodi reported that Zohir Muminzoda assaulted a border guard at the “Darai Ob” checkpoint on the Tajik-Afghan border.

On July 18, the website of the President of Tajikistan reported that Emomali Rahmon reminded during a meeting about the “improper and inappropriate behavior” of the chairman of the Shamsiddin Shohin district court and ordered by his decree to “not only relieve him of his position but also completely remove him from judicial authority.”

It is not possible to obtain a comment from Zohir Muminzoda.

According to sources from Radio Ozodi, on July 8 at the “Darai Ob” checkpoint, when Zohir Muminzoda was entering the district center, border guards checked his car and asked his companion to present identification documents. The court chairman began to argue and then exited the vehicle and struck border guard Firuz Atovulloev several times.

Some of Muminzoda’s friends wrote on Facebook that, on the contrary, the soldier hit him, and the court chairman is not guilty of anything.

The Supreme Court of Tajikistan is conducting an internal investigation into the actions of the chairman of the Shamsiddin Shohin district court in Khatlon region. The military prosecutor’s office for the Kulyab group of districts is questioning witnesses and the soldier who is alleged to have been assaulted.

Judges in Tajikistan have immunity, and until they are removed from office by the president and parliamentary consent for arrest is obtained, they cannot be detained or held accountable.