Chairman of a court in Jabbor-Rasoulov district of Sughd province and a judge at the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) regional court have been fired “for acts discrediting the honor and dignity of a judge”.  

President Emomali Rahmon has relieved the chairman of the Jabbor-Rasoulov district court Nasrullo Sadriddinzoda and the judge at the GBAO regional court Zafar Qodirzoda. 

Tajik state-run media reports that Sadriddinzoda and Qodirzoda have been relieved of their positions “for acts discrediting the honor and dignity of a judge” and three other judges have been retired for age reasons.

Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, reported last month that   Zafar Qodirzoda has been detained in Dushanbe and the Prosecutor-General’s office has instituted criminal proceedings against him.  Qodirzoda faces charges of bribery and fraud.

He has reportedly committed these crimes while serving as judge at the Vahdat city court (districts subordinate to the center) and at the GBAO regional court.  

By president’s decree Zafar Qodirzoda, who had previously served as judge at the Vahdat city court, was appointed as judge at the GBAO regional court.

As far as Nasrullo Sadriddinzoda is concerned, it is still unknown for what “acts discrediting honor and dignity of a judge” he was relieved of his position of chairmen of the Bobojon-Ghafourov district court.  He had served as chairman of the Jabbor-Rasoulov district court since February 2020.  Prior to this, he served as deputy chairman of a court in Sughd’s Spitamen district.  

Three other judges who were retried yesterday for age reasons are Safarali Kholmatzoda, a judge at the Khatlon regional court, Hasan Qodirzoda, a judge at the Khatlon regional court, and Saifiddin Muhiddinzoda, first deputy chairman of a court in the city of Bokhtar, the capital of Khatlon province.    

In accordance with Tajikistan legislation, the President appoints and relieves judges of military courts, the court of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region, regions, and City of Dushanbe (Article 69 of Tajikistan’s Constitution).