DUSHANBE, September 29, 2012, Asia-Plus  - Izzatullo Sharifov, the chief of the Department for Correctional Works at the Ministry of Justice, has promised to fire the head of penal colony YaS No 3/1 irrespective of the results of the forensic medical examination.

We will recall that inmate of penal colony YaS No 3/1 – 27-year-old Hamza Ikromzoda – died in Dushanbe’s penal colony YaS No 3/1 on September 20.  Ikromzoda’s body was handed over to his relatives on September 21.

Relatives of Hamza Ikromzoda gathered outside the building of the department for correctional works on September 28 demanding that authorities thoroughly investigate Hamza’s death.

They claim that Hamza Ikromzoda was tortured.  According to them, the body carried traces of torture, including burns caused by a heated iron.

Izzatullo Sharifov met with Hamza’s relatives and assured that Rustam Toshtemirov will be relieved of his post of head of penal colony YaS No 3/1 irrespective of the results of the forensic medical examination carried out by prosecutors.

Hamza Ikromzoda was sentenced to eleven years in prison for theft in 2011.  The sentence followed his conviction on charges robbery, extortion, and illegally bearing, possessing, and acquiring weapons.  Later, his jail term was reduced by thee years under amnesty law.

The Department of Correctional Works is responsible for managing the prison system in Tajikistan and has been part of the Ministry of Justice since 2002.  Its 19 penitentiary institutions include 13 correctional colonies (including one colony for women and one colony for juveniles), one prison and five pre-trial detention centers.  There are also five regional units responsible for the execution of non-custodial sanctions.