Two Russians detained in Dushanbe on assault suspicions
DUSHANBE. July 25 (Interfax) - Two Russian citizens born in Dagestan have been detained in Dushanbe, the capital city of Tajikistan, on assault and robbery suspicions.
Three citizens of Tajikistan were apprehended together with the Russians, Felix Gachiyev and Magomedali Omarov. Detectives suspect them of being members of an armed gang of car hijackers.
"The detainees used physical force to take a Toyota Camry, a Samsung cell phone and cash, $100 and 450 somoni (an equivalent of $95), from a Dushanbe resident under the threat of cold steel and a gun in early July," the Interior Ministry said.
A criminal case was opened under Article 249.4 (armed assault by an organized group) and Article 195.2 (conspiracy-based illegal carrying of weapons by a group) of the Tajik Criminal Code. If found guilty, the suspects will be sentenced from 15 to 20 years in jail under the first charge and from three to seven years under the second one.
About 7,000 persons are doing their prison time in Tajikistan, according to the Tajik Justice Ministry. Some 370 of them are foreigners, mostly citizens of Afghanistan convicted for drug trafficking. There are also citizens of Iran, Russia, Nigeria and Kenya.