DUSHANBE, February 28, Asia-Plus - The GBAO military prosecutor’s office is investigating into death of a 22-year-old Bahrom Kasirov, serviceman of border unit 2848 deployed in the Rushan district of Gorno Badakhshan.

The law enforcement authorities say that the preliminary investigation has established that Kasirov shot at himself.  The incident took place on February 24.  

The GBAO police directorate chief Abdullo Navjuvonov said in an interview with Asia-Plus that it is not clear year whether it was suicide or the soldier was killed as a result of not observing safety rules when using firearms.   

            In the meantime, local experts hold that the majority of such incidents are caused by  "dedovshchina" (bullying), the often brutal hazing of new recruits by older soldiers.  The problem of "dedovshchina" is still widespread in the army, according to the.

We will recall that Tajik Main Military Prosecutor Yusuf Rahmonov told a briefing in Dushanbe last month that 37 cases of bullying were officially registered in the army in 2006.