BISHKEK -- Relatives of a Kyrgyz soldier who died during border duty in northern Kyrgyzstan last week say they do not believe an official suggestion that he committed suicide, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.
Military officials said this week that Erlan Mamytov killed himself on July 29.
But Mamytov's aunt, Gulgakky Maldybaeva, told RFE/RL that his relatives think he was murdered.
She did not elaborate, but said the family has hired a lawyer and asked the NGO Soldiers' Mothers to investigate the circumstances of his death.
Hazing in the military is a persistent problem across much of the former Soviet Union, often leading to deaths, suicides, or serious injuries.
Border Guard Service spokeswoman Salkyn Abdykarieva confirmed to RFE/RL that Mamytov was found dead in his military unit on July 29.
She added that a special commission chaired by Border Guard Service Commander Zakir Tilenov has been set up to investigate Mamytov's death.
Read more in Kyrgyz here
Military officials said this week that Erlan Mamytov killed himself on July 29.
But Mamytov's aunt, Gulgakky Maldybaeva, told RFE/RL that his relatives think he was murdered.
She did not elaborate, but said the family has hired a lawyer and asked the NGO Soldiers' Mothers to investigate the circumstances of his death.
Hazing in the military is a persistent problem across much of the former Soviet Union, often leading to deaths, suicides, or serious injuries.
Border Guard Service spokeswoman Salkyn Abdykarieva confirmed to RFE/RL that Mamytov was found dead in his military unit on July 29.
She added that a special commission chaired by Border Guard Service Commander Zakir Tilenov has been set up to investigate Mamytov's death.
Read more in Kyrgyz here