DUSHANBE -- Three police officers in Tajikistan have been detained for allegedly blackmailing a gay man in order to extort money from him.

Officials at the Anticorruption Agency told RFE/RL on February 13 that Major Shoramazon Boronov, Captain Oyatullo Saifiddinov, and Captain Narzullo Aslamzoda had been detained several days ago while receiving 3,000 somonis ($340) from a gay man.

The man, whose identity has not been disclosed, had on a previous occasion been forced to give the trio 2,000 somonis ($225) to buy the officers' silence regarding his sexual orientation.

The agency says the police officers were charged with extortion and abuse of office. Read more via Radio Free Europe