A 21-year-old woman has been detained on suspicion of child abduction.

A TV police news program Akhbori VKD (Interior Ministry News) reported on December 15 that Faizigul Rustamova from Buston-Qala jamoat in Khatlon’s Kushoniyon district has applied to local police station saying that a woman named Muslima abducted her son aged 2 years and five months.  

The woman has reportedly been arrested in hot pursuit.  She turned out to be a 21-year-old resident of the city of Tursunzoda Muslima Poulod, who was previously convicted for theft (Article 244 of Tajikistan’s Penal Code).

The incident reportedly took place in early December.  Faizigul Rustamova says Muslima Poulod on December 5 asked to stay the night at her home.  Faizigul reportedly let Muslima into her house and the next day she discovered that her baby was not at home.  

Muslima abducted the baby and took him to her home in Tursunzoda, the Interior Ministry says.  

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against Muslima Poulod under the provisions of Article 130 of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – child abdication; an investigation is under way.  Under this article, she faces up to 12 years in prison.