DUSHANBE, August 16, Asia-Plus - The defense of the former commander of Tajikistan’s presidential guards and former Tajik drug control chief, Ghaffor Mirzoyev, has was sentenced to life in jail for planning coup, intends to appeal against the court’s verdict, Mirzoyev’s defense lawyer Abduqayum Yusufov, told Asia-Plus today.   

According to him, as a soon as Ghaffor Mirzoyev receives the verdict copy On Friday August 11, Tajikistan’s Supreme Court sentenced Ghaffor Mirzoyev, the former commander of Tajikistan’s Presidential Guards and the former director of the Tajik Drug Control Agency, to life imprisonment.

According to information from the Supreme Court, Ghaffor Mirzoyev was found guilty of planning a coup, tax evasion, illegally crossing border, and abuse of office. 

The source says other defendants that were together with Ghaffor Mirzoyev in the dock were sentenced to lengthy terms in jail, ranging from 12 to 16 years.  

We will recall that the trial of Ghaffor Mirzoyev ended on August 3.  In July, a prosecutor in the trial of Ghaffor Mirzoyev asked the court to sentence Mirzoyev to death.

Ghaffor Mirzoyev’s defense layer Abduqayum Yusufov says his client did not plead guilty to any of the charges, which included sedition and murder, and will appeal the court''s decision.  

Ghaffor Mirzoyev commanded the presidential guard between 1995 until his dismissal in January 2004.  He was also the head of the country''s drug control agency.  Mirzoyev was arrested on August 6, 2004, and he faced numerous charges, including abuse of office, tax evasion, and planning a coup.