More than two months after the publication of a resonant video of a puppy being abused in the Farkhor district, law enforcement agencies announced the punishment of the perpetrators. Three young people were fined 780 somoni each.
The young people who filmed the abuse of a puppy in the Farkhor district were brought to administrative responsibility. This was reported on June 3 Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Khatlon region.
This case caused a wide public outcry this spring. At the end of March, a video went viral on social media showing several young people forcefully stuffing something into a puppy’s mouth. After this, the animal becomes ill and the puppy falls to the ground.
It is not known for certain whether the puppy survived. But judging by his condition in the video, the chances of this were slim…
Then the publication caused a wave of indignation among social network users and animal rights activists. Activists tried to find out the fate of the animal and sought a response from law enforcement agencies.
According to the department, during the investigation the identities of the participants in the incident were established. They turned out to be 18-year-old residents of the village of Navruz, Farkhor district – Lutfullo Khukumatov, Zoirshoi Hassan and Fakhriddin Abdulkhakzoda.
According to the police, the young people forcibly poured nasvay (a type of non-smoking tobacco) into the animal’s mouth and treated the animal cruelly. They filmed what was happening, which they then distributed on social networks.
For cruelty to animals, all three were fined 780 somoni each.
Appeals from activists and waiting for a reaction
Let us remind you that for the first time about this case “Asia-Plus” reported March 23. The publication contained photographs of the alleged flayers, links to their pages on social networks and other data that made it possible to establish their identities. Despite this, there was no public reaction from law enforcement agencies at that time.
In early April, animal rights activists sent a collective appeal to the country’s Minister of Internal Affairs demanding that those responsible be identified and brought to justice. The initiator of the appeal was journalist and environmental activist Zulfiya Golubeva, who collected 62 signatures on the document.
However, consideration of the appeal was delayed. During April Zulfiya tried repeatedly receive information about the progress of the inspection. The application was transferred several times between various departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and some of the materials had to be sent again.
Despite the availability of video footage and data from the alleged participants in the incident, for a long time no information was received about the results of the inspection.
Only more than two months later, the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Khatlon region announced the completion of the inspection and bringing the perpetrators to administrative responsibility.
It should be noted that videos of cruelty to animals regularly appear on social networks, but not in all cases the perpetrators can be brought to justice.
According to Zulfiya Golubeva, public outcry, numerous publications on social networks, the collective appeal of citizens to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the persistence of animal rights activists who sought to consider the case and bring it to an end played an important role in this story.
Animals are protected by law
According to Azizjon Boboev, a legal consultant at the Law and Prosperity NGO, in Tajikistan the treatment of animals is regulated by several regulations.
The basis is the Constitution of Tajikistan, according to which wildlife is the exclusive property of the state. Regulations regarding the treatment of animals are also contained in the laws “On Animal World” and “On Veterinary Medicine”.
If the actions are committed with particular cruelty, for hooligan reasons, in the presence of minors, or are disseminated through the media and the Internet, the fine increases to ten minimum monthly wages. It was this standard that was applied in the case of cruelty to a puppy in Farkhor.
What to do if you witness animal cruelty?
Any person who witnesses cruelty to an animal can contact the police department at the scene of the incident. The application can be submitted in written, oral or electronic form.
“It is important that the appeal is justified. To confirm, it is necessary to provide evidence: video recording, photographs or testimony of witnesses, if available,” explains Boboev.
As the lawyer emphasized, the same procedure applies in cases where the fact of ill-treatment is recorded on video and disseminated through social networks.
According to the law, citizens’ appeals must be considered within 15-30 days, but in some cases this period can be extended by another 30 days, of which the applicant must be notified.
“If a response to an appeal is not provided within the prescribed period, the applicant can send a second appeal and request information about the results of its consideration,” says the expert.
Boboev also recommends submitting applications in duplicate. One remains with the department, and the second must have a mark of acceptance and the date of registration of the application.
“If there is no response, the applicant has the right to contact higher internal affairs bodies or the prosecutor’s office. Such a mark on acceptance of the application will help confirm that the application has been submitted and the deadline for its consideration has already expired,” the lawyer notes.
According to him, the lack of a quick response does not always mean inaction on the part of law enforcement agencies. Sometimes additional time is required to establish the identity of the offenders, the location of the offense, or determine which unit should conduct the investigation.
“However, ultimately, each appeal is subject to mandatory registration and consideration, and based on the results of the inspection, an appropriate decision must be made,” Azizjon Boboev emphasized.
