DUSHANBE, April 15, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Tajik national Sherali Azizov has died in prison in the Uzbek city of Navoi.

Sherali’s farther Haitali Azizov told Asia-Plus this Friday afternoon.  According to him, he recently went to Uzbekistan to see his son, but they just showed him grave and said that Sherali Azizov was buried in that grave.  The death certificate given to Haitali Azizov notes that Sherali Azizov died of cardiac arrest.

In the meantime, Haitali Azizov says that when he visited his son in October 2010 Sherali felt himself well.  “Moreover, he had never had heart problems,” the man noted.

Sherali Azizov’s relatives do not believe that he died of cardiac arrest and intend to know the truth through Tajik diplomatic channels.

The Tajik MFA information department says the Tajik Embassy in Tashkent will study the issue.

Sherali Azizov was born on November 24, 1975 in the village of Beshkapa, Yovon district in Khatlon province.  In February 2004, he left for Iran to study at religious school there and his relatives had known nothing about him until 2009.  In February 2009, Sherali sent them a letter from the Bukhara prison.

According to the Uzbek authorities, Sherali Azizov was going to commit a terrorist act at the military base in Termez in summer of 2006.  This military base is reportedly used by Germany for operations in Afghanistan.

One other person was arrested along with Sherali Azizov on suspicion of terrorism attempt.  He died in prison during the preliminary investigation.

“Sherali told me that he is innocent” Haitali Azizov said.  

Sherali Azizov was transferred to the prison in Navoi just a month before his death.