DUSHANBE, April 8, 2009, Asia-Plus -- Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Saidkomil Qurbonov, a defense lawyer representing Suhrob Langariyev, said today that he considers that the sentence passed by the Supreme Court on his client is too heavy and intends to appeal the Supreme Court’s verdict against Suhrob Langariyev in the appeals court of the Supreme Court.

He refrained from giving further comments, noting that the sentence has not yet come into force.

As it had been reported earlier, the Supreme Court on April 7 ruled that Suhrob Langariyev and his seven confederates, including 22-year-old Nourmahmad Safarov, a son of one of leaders of the former pro-government Popular Front Sangak Safarov, as well as Ghafouov, Bouriyev, Rozoyev and Sulaymonov, and two Afghan nationals -- Habibrahman valadi Sultonaziz and Ghulosiddiq valadi Muhamamdi, be sentenced to life in jail.  The sentence followed their conviction on charges of large-scale drug trafficking, illegal possession of weapons, organization of criminal grouping, killing and some other crimes.

In all, 19 persons, including several Afghans, stood the trial.  The remaining 11 defendants, including Langari Langariyev’s Azam, got long jail terms -- from six to twenty-one years.

The trial of Suhrob Langariyev, a younger brother of Langari Langariyev, who served as a top field commander during the civil war in the pro-government Popular Front, began at the pretrial detention facility run by the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) in Dushanbe on April 2.

We will recall that Tajik authorities carried out vast law-enforcement operation against one of the country’s most powerful drug gangs in the city of Kulob on May 27, 2008.  After an extended gun battle, eight individuals were taken into custody.

According to GKNB, the drug-bust operation commenced in the early morning hours and lasted for several hours.  The gang that was targeted was a major drug trafficker in the country.

The gang’s leader, Suhrob Langariyev, reportedly had had an international warrant out for his arrest for armed robbery since 2002.  Yet, according to local sources, Langariyev moved freely about Kulob and other areas of Tajikistan, evidently unconcerned about the possibility of arrest.

Suhrob Langariyev and his confederates offered armed resistance to law-enforcement agents.  In the ensuing, prolonged exchanges of gunfire, four people were reportedly killed – two police officers and two bystanders.

Tajik law enforcement authorities reported that a vast cache of weapons and a large amount of heroin were found in Langariyev’s home during a search of the premises.  Eight individuals, including Suhrob Langariyev, his 25-year-old nephew, Azam Langariyev, and 22-year-old son of Sangak Safarov, Nourmahmad Safarov, as well as several Afghan nationals were detained during the operation.