DUSHANBE, December 18, Asia-Plus - The ministry of justice denies reports about Ghaffor Mirzoyev’s going on hunger strike as “unfounded”.  

Bahrom Abdulloyev, deputy head of the penal system department of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), said in an interview with Asia-Plus that a statement by Ghaffor Mirzoyev’s defense lawyer that her client has allegedly gone hunger strike “does not correspondent to the facts.”  “Mirzoyev is in generally good condition,” said Abdulloyev, “As far as the ban on meetings with relatives and defense team is concerned, this issue is under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.”   

We will recall that Jamila Komilova, one of Ghaffor Mirzoyev’s defense lawyers, December 14 told Asia-Plus that the imprisoned former drug control chief Ghaffor Mirzoyev has gone on hunger strike since December 13 to protest the conditions of his detention.  According her, Mirzoyev is being denied meetings with his defense lawyers and relatives. 

She said that they have an official permit from the Supreme Court to meet with their clients, but the detention facility authorities do not allow them to meet with him, justifying the rejection by saying that they allegedly do not have special premises for meetings.  

According to her, the defense lawyers should meet with Ghaffor Mirzoyev in order to concert their positions on an appeal, which they plan to lodge to the appeals court of the Supreme Court in the near future.   .  

The Supreme Court of Tajikistan sentenced Mirzoyev to life imprisonment on August 11, after his conviction of planning a coup, tax evasion, illegally crossing the border and abuse of office.  Fifteen military officers have already received sentences ranging from five to 16 years for their role in the alleged coup plot in January 2004.  Mirzoyev 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. He was arrested on August 6, 2004.

Mirzoyev remains in the pretrial detention facility of the Ministry of Justice.  He is held in one cell with two persons who were also sentenced to life in jail.