DUSHANBE, May 4, Asia-Plus, - A court in the Ismoili Somoni district of Dushanbe has completed consideration of a case of the cause of the tragic “Chorbogh” orphanage fire.  

We will recall that nine persons face criminal charges on this case. Of them, three, including the orphanage director Sadullo Yatimov, were under arrest and the remaining six had given written undertakings not to leave a place. 

The orphanage director, in particular, faced charges under six articles of Tajikistan’s Criminal Code, including negligent homicide, abuse of power, negligence, service forgery, embezzlement of state funds, and misappropriation of foreign aid. 

The Ismoili Somonis court today sentenced eight of them to various terms of imprisonment ranging between two and twelve years.  The orphanage director Sadullo Yatimov was sentenced to 15 years in jail.   

As it had been reported earlier, a blaze broke out at the “Chorbogh” orphanage for children with intellectual disabilities in Dushanbe early on January 8, killing at least 13 children and injuring at least two others.  77 children were rescued, with one survivor with second-degree burns hospitalized in a burn-treatment facility.