DUSHANBE -- A son of the head of Tajikistan's State Railway Company has won a libel case against the weekly newspaper "Imruznews."
The Ismoili Somoni District Court in Dushanbe has ruled that the privately held newspaper must pay 50,000 somonis ($8,000) to Rustam Hukumov for damaging "his honor and dignity."
The court also required the weekly to publicly apologize for its article titled "Hukumov and Bakiev Became Headaches For Their Fathers."
It compared Hukumov with the son of ousted Kyrgyz leader Kurmanbek Bakiev.
Both Bakievs are wanted on corruption charges.
The newspaper's lawyer, Gulchehra Holmatova, told RFE/RL that she plans to appeal the court's decision.
She said the trial was held behind closed doors, which was a violation of procedural regulations for such cases.
The Ismoili Somoni District Court in Dushanbe has ruled that the privately held newspaper must pay 50,000 somonis ($8,000) to Rustam Hukumov for damaging "his honor and dignity."
The court also required the weekly to publicly apologize for its article titled "Hukumov and Bakiev Became Headaches For Their Fathers."
It compared Hukumov with the son of ousted Kyrgyz leader Kurmanbek Bakiev.
Both Bakievs are wanted on corruption charges.
The newspaper's lawyer, Gulchehra Holmatova, told RFE/RL that she plans to appeal the court's decision.
She said the trial was held behind closed doors, which was a violation of procedural regulations for such cases.
