KHUJAND, August 26, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- The Sughd military prosecutor’s has completed investigation into case of five servicemen of one of border units deployed in northern Tajikistan and case has already moved to the Sughd military court.  

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Muslim Khudoiberdiyev, a judge with the Sughd military court, said that Warrant Officer Jumabek Saidov and four draftees, including Huseinov, Rahmatov, Abirov and Safarov, faces charge of bullying (brutal hazing of new recruits by older soldiers).  

According to him, charges against the warrant officer have been brought under the provisions of Article 391, Part 1 of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – abuse of power, and charges against the draftees have been brought under the provisions of Article 373, Part 2 – violation of service regulations of relations between servicemen.  

Khudoiberdiyev said that on April 7, Warrant Officer Jumabek Saidov severely beat three new recruits and one of them with bodily injuries was taken to the hospital.  The draftees are charged with hazing new recruits by order of the warrant officer.