DUSHANBE, May 24, 2013, Asia-Plus – A statement released by the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption today says Tajik citizen Sh. Kamolov and the national of Vietnam Hoang Wan Hiyep (phonetically spelled) have lodged applications to the anticorruption agency against what it said “illegal actions of former Minister of Industry Zayd Saidov.”
“Following these applications, the anticorruption agency on May 23 instituted criminal proceedings against Zayd Saidov under the provisions of three articles of Tajikistan’s Penal Code: Article 247 (4) – large-scale fraud committed through misuse of powers; Article 250 (4) – extortion for the purpose of obtaining a large-scale property; and Article 314 (3) – abuse of office entailing grave consequences,” the statement said.
We will recall that a court in Dushanbe’s Firdavsi district issued the arrest warrant for Zayd Saidov on May 22. He was ordered held in pretrial detention for up to two months. The court also ruled that Zayd Saidov cannot be released on bail.
Zayd Saidov, the leader of Tajikistan”s unregistered New Tajikistan party, was detained on May 19 on charges of corruption. He has been stripped of his parliamentary immunity.
Saidov denies any wrongdoing and says his case is politically motivated. According to Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, he said during the court hearing on May 22 that he is being persecuted for his decision last month to set up his new political party.
