DUSHANBE, February 4, 2015, Asia-Plus — An activist of the Social-Democratic Party (SDP) who intended to run in Tajikistan”s March 1 parliamentary election has been detained on embezzlement charges, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reports.
Firdavs Sohibnazarov”s mother told RFE/RL on February 4 that her son was apprehended on February 3 and sent to a detention center in the city of Qurghon Teppa.
Sohibnazarov leads the local branch of the SDP in the Khuroson district, Khatlon province.
SDP leader Rahmatillo Zoyirov told RFE/RL that authorities said the accusations against his colleague were linked to the “disappearance of $43,000” from a bank where Sohibnazarov used to work as a financial expert.
The SDP nominated Sohibnazarov as a parliamentary candidate last month, but he was informed on January 31 that he was barred from running because he was under investigation.
Sohibnazarov told RFE/RL at the time that he believes the case was fabricated to keep him out of the election.
