NotortureTJ: Military conscription and hazing — three republications

NotortureTJ (Russian edition). The file consolidates three articles republished by the Coalition of Civil Society of the Republic of Tajikistan Against Torture and Impunity (Коалиция гражданского общества Республики Таджикистан против пыток и безнаказанности) at notorturetj.org. (1) “Army the Tajik way: Features of conscription” (Армия по-таджикски. Особенности призыва), 15 November 2012 — originally from Asia-Plus, reporter Sheroz Sharipov (Шероз Шарипов). The article reports that the autumn 2012 conscription plan in Tajikistan had been 71% fulfilled. It cites Dilrabo Samadova (Дилрабо Самадова), head of the Young Lawyers Association “Amparo” (Ассоциация молодых юристов «Ампаро»), on systematic “облавы” — informal detention of men in streets, markets and public places without prior summons — conducted by military commissariats (49.2%), internal affairs (44.2%) and executive-power agencies (2.8%). The article reports Amparo’s survey of 546 soldiers, of whom 46.8% said they were conscripted after such raids; 30% of conscripts had disqualifying illnesses; 37% of 300 surveyed families did not want their sons to serve, citing hazing and poor conditions. The article reports soldier-reported violence (insults 33%, beatings 25%, forced dirty work 24%, food/parcels 9%, clothing 5%) and officer-led violence (dirty work 46%, insults 20.8%, beatings 12.5%). The article also reports pressure on Amparo: following a 2010 public appeal to the president citing 40% forced conscription, the organisation faced inquiries from the Military Prosecutor’s Office, refusal of venues for summer camps, and a Ministry of Justice lawsuit leading to a court order to liquidate the organisation, which Amparo stated it would appeal. (2) “Do conscripts have the right to refuse a summons?” (Имеют ли право призывники отказаться от получения повестки…), 19 April 2022 — originally from Asia-Plus; a legal Q&A with lawyer Khurshed Kurbonshoev (Хуршед Курбоншоев) of the Office of Civil Freedoms, explaining delivery of summonses, penalties under Article 683 of the Administrative Code (7–10 calculation-indicator fines; 10–12 for repeat offences) and Article 343 of the Criminal Code (500–1,000 indicator fine or up to 2 years’ imprisonment), and procedures for detention. (3) “Shakhbol Mirzoev has died…” (Умер Шахбол Мирзоев…), 1 February 2021 — reprinted from Asia-Plus, reporting the death of border-troops soldier Shakhbol Mirzoev (Шахбол Мирзоев) seven years after being injured in March 2014 by fellow serviceman Usmonali Gayratov (Усмонали Гайратов) in a GKNB border unit in Rudaki district; medical details, 2014 9-year prison sentence for Gayratov, 2016 Dushanbe garrison military court award of 36,000 somoni material and 4,000 somoni moral damages from the GKNB Border Service, and 2019 Skype interview. Sources cited by the coalition include Asia-Plus as original publisher.