Investigation into the rape of a 12-year-old girl by her 42-year-old  cousin in Hisor is going on, says the Tashabbusi Huquqi (Legal Imitative) Public Foundation, which has provided defense to the girl.

“Criminal proceedings have been instituted against Husni Abdulloyev under the provisions of Article 138 (3) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – rape,” Tashabbusi Huquqi head, Ms. Gulchehra Rahmonova, told Asia-Plus in an interview.  

According to her, Abdulloyev faces up to 20 years in prison.  

Ms. Rahmonova further noted that the girl was currently undergoing rehabilitation.  “A psychological examination has been assigned to the girl.  Defense lawyer and psychologist are working with the girl.  Besides, the girl and her baby are receiving medical aid,” Ms. Rahmonova said.  

Recall, a 42-year-ld resident of Hisor, Husni Abdulloyev, last year raped a 12-year-old neighbor girl, who is his first cousin.  Threatening the girl and using her helpless state, he did this several times.  Three months ago, the girl gave birth to the child.

The girl’s uncle told Asia-Plus that Husni Abdulloyev has tried to pay them off.  “He offered us 10,000 somoni so that we take back our complaint filed in the prosecutor’s office but we refused.  Abdulloyev then began to threaten us through his friends,” the man said. 

“Since local police station and prosecutor’s office have ignored our applications, we have been forced to apply to the Interior Ministry, the Prosecutor-General’s Office and the public.  Only after that, we have been invited to the Interior Ministry Criminal Investigation Directorate to testify,” the girl’s uncle noted. 

According to him, the case has been sent for investigation to the Hisor prosecutor’s office and Husni Abdulloyev has been taken into custody. 

“We hope that justice will prevail and the rapist will be brought to justice and receive the punishment he deserves,” the girl’s mother, Sanifa Abdulloyeva, said. 

The law enforcement authorities launched investigation into the incident practically only after the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT) leader, Rahmatillo Zoyirov, wrote about this incident on his Facebook page on June 17.