DUSHANBE, June 18, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- The Prosecutor-General’s Office and the Ministry of Interior today released a joint statement, which, in particular, says that ex-Minister of Interior Mahmadnazar Solehov committed suicide by shooting himself in his house in Dushanbe on June 17 at around 8:00 p.m.

It is to be noted that over the past several months, Mahmadnazar Solehov had been repeatedly summoned to the Prosecutor-General’s Office for questioning over cases related to abuse of office, deliberate hiding of crimes by some police officers, and the murder of the special police unit Oleg Zakharchenko in February 2008, the statement says.

“However, Mr. Solehov ignored summons without any valid reasons and did not appear before the Prosecutor-General’s Office,” said the statement, “In this connection, the Prosecutor-General’s Office made a decision on reconduction of the ex-minister, however he was refusing to appear before the Prosecutor-General’s Office. On June 17, the Prosecutor-General’s Office issued arrest warrant for Mahmadnazar Solehov, who had committed crimes against interests of public service during his serving as interior minister.”