Another serviceman has died in the army

A 19-year-old conscript soldier “committed suicide” by shooting himself twice.

On the Tajik-Afghan border, a serviceman of the border troops died from a gunshot wound. Authorities claim that 19-year-old conscript Hakimjon Samadov committed suicide in the Farhor district, and one of the commanders of the military unit where the deceased served has been detained “for exceeding official authority.” This incident occurred on July 5, during the soldier’s duty at a watchtower.

Two sources from Radio Ozodi in law enforcement reported that the soldier received a gunshot wound to the chin, and that “the preliminary investigation concluded that he committed suicide.” However, the soldier’s relatives do not believe the official version and have filed a statement with the military prosecutor’s office, demanding a thorough investigation of the incident.

Hakimjon Samadov was drafted into the Armed Forces last autumn from the village of Devashtich in the city of Panjakent. On July 11, a source from Radio Ozodi in the investigative bodies reported that no case has yet been opened against the commander of border detachment 0307 of the State National Security Committee of Tajikistan in the Farhor district, but he has been detained and a service check is currently underway to determine whether there were any violations of regulations in this unit.

Khalimjon Samadov, Hakimjon’s father, told Radio Ozodi on July 11 that he does not believe his son committed suicide. According to him, he spoke with his son on the phone at the beginning of July, and nothing was troubling him. The soldier’s father claims that his son died under torture, as there were bruises on his body.

“If he committed suicide, how could he shoot himself twice? – Khalimjon Samadov asks. – One bullet went through his throat, and the other came out of his nose. We have recorded all of this and will demand an investigation.”

In its annual report, the Ombudsman or Commissioner for Human Rights in Tajikistan stated that in 2023, the Armed Forces recorded the deaths of 40 soldiers. Of this number, according to the Ombudsman, 8 servicemen committed suicide, and “6 soldiers died from illnesses.” Authorities constantly report that the situation in the Tajik army has improved, but parents of some soldiers still complain about the poor conditions in which servicemen are kept and about violations of regulations regarding recruits.