Rustam (name changed), who worked as a pediatric infectious disease specialist at a local polyclinic, suddenly encountered an extremely unpleasant situation that changed his life. Representatives of the law enforcement agencies came to his workplace and, without explaining, forcibly took him to the crime control department. During this unexpected delay, they seized Rustam’s cell phone and began asking obscene questions about his personal life and activities. He was forced to spend seven hours in this department, after which he was told to return the next day at 10 am.
Finding himself in such a difficult situation, Rustam turned to REActors for help. From the very beginning of his interaction with them, he felt care and attention, and the first question he heard was about the presence of pornography on his phone and its distribution. Rustam confidently assured that he had not sent any pornographic material, but acknowledged the presence of porn files in which he had been a participant. He was immediately referred to a lawyer for counseling and was advised to contact those who had detained him to confirm the time and date of the next meeting.
Two weeks later, Rustam was charged under Article 241 of the Criminal Code of Tajikistan, and the REActors began a joint effort to find out more details with the investigator in charge of the case. The first meeting with him did not bring the expected results, as the investigator showed reluctance to cooperate. Nevertheless, the lawyers did not give up and met with him again, carefully explaining that the files in Rustam’s phone had not been sent to anyone and that the actions of the law enforcement agencies violated the law. It was suggested to him that if there was no change in their attitude, an appeal to the Prosecutor General’s Office would be filed. However, even these persuasive arguments did not lead to changes in the situation.
Nevertheless, just three days after this last meeting, the investigator contacted Rustam and invited him to his department. There they discussed the situation again, returned his phone to him, and announced that the case was closed. Today, Rustam is feeling much better and the REActors remain in touch with him, providing the necessary support. Rustam decided to go to his parents to recover from the stress he had experienced.
Rustam’s story was a model of a successful struggle for justice, made possible through cooperation with REActors. They were on his side, provided him with legal support, and protected his interests, which led to the closure of the case. This case emphasizes the importance of legal aid and the principles of justice in society.
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