The condition of the convicted journalist Daler Sharipov worsened. According to his parents, the journalist has been feeling chest pains and heavy breathing for several days. Parents of the journalist ask to provide an opportunity to examine their son, worrying about his health.
Recall that Daler Sharipov is currently in a pre-trial detention center and is waiting to be sent to a general regime colony. On April 16, the District court of Shokhmansur (Dushanbe) sentenced an independent journalist to one year in prison on the basis of part 1 of article 189 of the Criminal Code for “fomenting of religious strife”.
Dozens of international organizations and civil society of Tajikistan have repeatedly demanded the release of the journalist, noting his innocence.
The situation was commented for ACCA by the journalist Khairullo Mirsaidov, who had also previously been convicted by the Tajik authorities and had been in a pre-trial detention center for about 9 months.
“The problem with all pre-trial detention facilities is that they have high humidity, and in the summer the cells heat up very much because they are made of concrete,” the journalist says. “It was also very difficult for me to breathe. Even two open windows didn’t help, because the cell of 50 square meters contains up to 25 people. Accordingly, there is not enough air.”
Mirsaidov also noted that the parents of Daler Sharipov have to bring a doctor to the pre-trial detention center so that he gives the exact diagnosis.
“When I started having a bad cough, I repeatedly turned to the sanitary unit of the pre-trial detention center, but they just gave me a cough pill,” the journalist notes. “Then I went to the head of the pre-trial detention center and demanded to bring me a doctor from the hospital. However, his requests to the Health Department about this remained unanswered. As a result, my illness passed over time, and only after I was released I underwent a full examination and it turned out that I had antritis and pneumonia.”
The journalist expressed fears that the coronavirus could penetrate into the pre-trial detention center, which could lead to sadder consequences for all prisoners.
“Today, the situation in Tajikistan with coronavirus is very controversial. The authorities continue to declare that there are no patients. At the same time, thousands of people are in hospitals, and every day we learn about new deaths,” Mirsaidov said. “If Daler Sharipov has a coronavirus, then it will be very difficult for him to provide full-fledged medical care. Today, even the usual hospitals are in short supply of medicines and protective drugs. So the authorities will think about the condition of prisoners in the last turn, if at all, remember them.”
Source: ACCA Media
