Tajik opposition member fined for slander
DUSHANBE. May 16 (Interfax) - A court in Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe, has ordered Tajik Social Democratic Party leader Rahmatillo Zoirov to pay 4,750 somoni, or $969, in moral damages to the family of convict Mahmadrahim Saidov and another 4,000 somoni, or $816, to the prison administration, the court press service reported on Friday.
The average monthly salary in the republic is $171.
In February 2014, Zoirov, a Tajik opposition member and lawyer, announced on his page on social networking websites that Saidov had allegedly died in prison after being tortured by security guards.
The prison administration denied the claim and filed a lawsuit together with Saidov's relatives against the political figure, who is known as a key human rights campaigner in the country.
Zoirov told reporters then that "the authorities had intentionally provided me with inaccurate information in order to allegedly expose my lies and put me on trial for spreading these lies."
"This is how they want to force me to abandon my human rights work," he said.
Zoirov has declined to comment on the court's latest ruling, saying that he has not yet received its copy.
Zoirov, 56, is also known as a long-time critic of the country's President Emomali Rahmon. In 2001-2003, the Social Democratic Party leader served as the president's law policy adviser. However, in March 2013, he openly attacked draft constitutional amendments that effectively allowed Rahmon to seek reelection for another two seven-year terms in office. Zoirov resigned from this post in June 2003.
Today, Zoirov also heads the Tajik Legal Consortium.
Independent experts and human rights activists have noted growing pressure on the media and opposition political figures in the run-up to Tajikistan's parliamentary election, set for February 2015.