Lawyer Of Banned Tajik Islamic Party Detained

DUSHANBE -- The lawyer of Tajikistan's embattled Islamic Renaissance Party (IRPT) has been detained in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe.

The Interior Ministry said on September 29 that Buzurgmehr Yorov is suspected of fraud and forgery.

Yorov has been defending several IRPT leading members who were arrested earlier in September on suspicion of leading a deadly mutiny by a serving deputy defense minister.

The deputy minister, Abduhalim Nazarzoda, was killed in a special operation on September 16 after officials blamed him for attacks on a police station and weapons depot.

The developments came after the Justice Ministry last month banned the IRPT and gave the party 10 days to halt all activities. The deadline was September 7.

IRPT's leader Muhiddin Kabiri, who is in self-imposed exile abroad, has rejected the accusations against him and his party as politically motivated.