Seventeen Tajiks have gone on trial on suspicion of involvement in the killing of four foreign cyclists on a southern mountain road in late July, according to Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service .
The trial started on October 23 and is being held behind closed doors inside Detention Center No. 1, a jail in Dushanbe.
Relatives of the defendants were not allowed into the building.
The four cyclists -- an American man and woman, a Dutchman, and a Swiss man -- were killed on July 29 when attackers plowed into their group on a road and then stabbed some of them.
Two other foreign cyclists survived the attack, which occurred about 150 kilometers south of the Central Asian country's capital.
Only one of the five men suspected of carrying out the attack, Hussein Abdusamadov, is among the defendants. The other four were killed by Tajik security forces.
The 16 other defendants are suspected either of involvement in organizing the attack or failure to report preparations for the attack.
The extremist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the incident shortly after it occurred and released a video showing five men -- at least some of whom appeared to resemble those identified by Tajik officials as suspects killed in a confrontation with security forces -- pledging allegiance to the IS leader.
The Tajik government, however, rejected the claim and instead blamed followers of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), a political party that was banned in Tajikistan in 2015.
The leadership of the IRPT -- which served for several years in the Tajik government -- has denied involvement and called the authorities' claims "shameless and illogical slander."
Congratulations on Vicotry Day
The world's most popular sport now has its own day for fans to celebrate — May 25
A conference expected to be held in Dushanbe next week to discuss once again the media law on media
Iran can serve as gateway for Central Asian countries to internal markets, says Iranian ambassador to Tajikistan
Another incident with use of firearms occurs on Tajik-Kyrgyz border
All five Central Asian leaders to attend Victory Day events in Moscow
Tajikistan ranked 1550th out of 180 countries and territories in terms of press freedom
By president’s order Tajik war veterans will receive 40,000 somonis each on the occasion of Victory Day
Tajikistan signs the Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action
Italy to host the 58th ADB Annual Meeting in 2025
All news
Авторизуйтесь, пожалуйста