DUSHANBE, December 14, Asia-Plus - The imprisoned former drug control chief Ghaffor Mirzoyev has gone on hunger-strike since December 13.  He refuses to receive parcels delivered by his relatives, protesting detention facility authorities’ not allowing him to meet with his defense lawyers, Jamila Komilova, one of Ghaffor Mirzoyev’s defense lawyers, said in an interview with Asia-Plus Thursday evening.   

“For the last time, I met with my client a week after a court passed a verdict against him on August 11,” said Komilova, “Although we have an official permit from the Supreme Court to meet with our clients, authorities of the justice ministry-run pretrial detention facility do not allow us to with him”  “They have justified the rejection by saying that they allegedly do not have special premises for meetings.”  

“A month ago, we applied to the prosecutor-general asking him to introduce appropriate measures against chief of Dushanbe pretrial detention facility # 1 and head of the penal system department of the justice ministry, who do not allow us to meet with Mirzoyev,” Komilova said, noting that their actions may be qualified as abuse of office powers.  “However, the prosecutor-general has not yet replied to our letter,” Mirzoyev’s lawyer said.   

According to her, the defense lawyers should meet with Ghaffor Mirzoyev in order to concert their positions on an appeal, which they plan to lodge to the appeals court of the Supreme Court.  “We do not agree with the verdict against Mirzoyev and plan to appeal against it,” Komilova said.  

  The Supreme Court of Tajikistan sentenced Mirzoyev to life imprisonment on August 11, after his conviction of planning a coup, tax evasion, illegally crossing the border and abuse of office.  Fifteen military officers have already received sentences ranging from five to 16 years for their role in the alleged coup plot in January 2004.  Mirzoyev did not plead guilty to any of the charges, which included sedition and murder, and will appeal the court''s decision. 

Ghaffor Mirzoyev commanded the presidential guard between 1995 until his dismissal in January, 2004.  He was also the head of the country''s drug control agency. He was arrested on August 6, 2004.

Mirzoyev remains in the pretrial detention facility of the Ministry of Justice.  He is held in one cell with two persons who were also sentenced to life in jail.