Why is the Minister of Justice avoiding questions about prisons?

The Minister of Justice of Tajikistan did not answer journalists’ questions about events in places of detention.

On February 12, at a press conference of the Ministry of Justice, a correspondent from Radio Ozodi asked the head of the ministry, Muzaffar Ashuriyon, to clarify whether there had been an incident involving gunfire at the detention center in the city of Khujand. However, the minister evaded a direct answer and did not provide a satisfactory response.

On the contrary, Ashuriyon asked the journalist, “What do you know yourself?”

When the journalist replied that there had been gunfire at the detention center and there were fatalities, Ashuriyon stated that “this is a crime and does not fall within our competence, I cannot answer your questions.” After that, the minister moved on to other questions.

Although the journalist was merely trying to find out if there had indeed been an incident involving gunfire.

This is not the first time Muzaffar Ashuriyon has evaded answers to important questions related to the situation of political prisoners, conditions of detention in prisons, etc. At the same time, he generally responds openly and in detail to other questions, including those about document registration. The minister often tries to conclude the press conference as quickly as possible, which only takes place once every six months.

It was previously reported that as a result of a riot involving gunfire at the Khujand detention center, three inmates and one guard were killed.

On January 31 of this year, eight inmates fatally shot a guard at the Khujand detention center and entered the buffer zone, but other guards began shooting at the inmates. As a result, three inmates were killed. According to the publication, if the inmates had managed to cross the buffer zone, only the gates would have remained, and they would have been able to escape.

Meanwhile, the head of the portal Isloh.net, Muhammadikbol Sadriddin, also reported on his Facebook page on February 2 about an escape attempt and the deaths of inmates.

“Today, under heightened security measures, the killed inmate from the Rudaki district was buried. The number of dead has reached 15 people, with even more injured,” Muhammadikbol Sadriddin reported.

The motives and reasons for the riot at the Khujand detention center are still unknown. Official comments from the authorities of Tajikistan have not yet been provided. Various versions of the incident are circulating in society.