A 42-year-old resident of Hisor suspected of raping a 12-year-old neighbor girl has been detained and criminal proceedings have been instituted against him.

“He faces up to 25 years in prison,” Mahmurod Odinayev, the deputy leader of the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT), told Asia-Plus in an interview.  

He noted that the girl’s parents were members of their party, and therefore, they were helping them.  

“Parent of the girl are members of our party, and therefore, they are under our protection.  The party leadership keeps the progress of the investigation under control, and in case of necessity, the party leader Rahmatillo Zoyirov will act as defense lawyer for the girl,” Odinayev said.  

To get information about the incident we have applied to the Hisor prosecutor’s office, but they told us to submit a written request.  

Recall, SPT leader Rahmatillo Zoyirov wrote about this incident on his Facebook page on June 17.  SDPT leader noted in his open letter to the Interior Ministry and the Prosecutor-General’s Office that the 12-year-old girl from the Somon jamoat was raped by her 42-year-old neighbor last year. 

“The 42-year-old H.A. last year raped the 12-year-old neighbor girl in a cow-shed.  Threatening the girl and using her helpless state, he did this several times," Zoyirov wrote.  

According to him, when the girl’s parents found out about that, “H.A. by threats kept them from submitting an application [to the law enforcement authorities].” 

“When it turned out that the girl is pregnant, the parents went to the prosecutor’s office and police department in Hisor to complain about the rapist neighbor, but they didn’t accept the application.  Moreover,  covering the rapist, they threatened with grave consequences .”  

According to Zoyirov, the girl gave birth to the child two months ago, and now there is pressure on the girl and her parents “in order to solve everything peacefully and without consequences.”  

SDPT leader asks the Prosecutor-General’s Office and the Interior Ministry to take the case under their control so that the rapist would be punished.   

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry says that the Hisor police department has registered the case and the Hisor prosecutor’s office is investigating the incident.