DUSHANBE, July 8, 2013, Asia-Plus – An action for protection of known Tajik businessman Zayd Saidov has reportedly been held in Moscow.
“Young people wearing T-shirts featuring photo of Zayd Saidov with inscription “Freedom to Zayd Saidov” have distributed the T-shirts to anyone,” Temour Varqi, who is member of the initiative group for formation of a New Tajikistan party, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
“This action is display of the civil solidarity. The arrest of Zayd Saidov and unfair persecution launched against him have drawn a wide response,” Varqi said.
According to him, similar actions are expected to be held in Dushanbe and other cities of Tajikistan as well.
“The first T-shirts featuring photo of Zayd Saidov have been ordered by Tajik businessmen, friends of Zayd Saidov” said Varqi. “I believe there are quite a lot of people in Tajikistan who are ready to put on such T-shirts.”
Known Tajik businessman and former minister of industry Zayd Saidov, who now faces charges of large scale fraud, large-scale corruption and polygamy, is currently being held at the pretrial detention facility of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS).
Zayd Saidov, who is initiator of formation of a “New Tajikistan” party, was detained on May 19 on charges of corruption. He has been stripped of his parliamentary immunity. On May 22, a court in Dushanbe’s Firdavsi district issued the arrest warrant for Zayd Saidov. He was ordered held in pretrial detention for up to two months. The court also ruled that Zayd Saidov cannot be released on bail.
The authorities have sequestrated property of Zayd Saidov and his nearest relatives. The anticorruption agency has reportedly sent a letter to notarial service, noting that the property should not be put on sale until investigation complete.
To-date, five cars belonging to Zayd Saidov and his sons as well as their houses have been sequestrated. Working premises and building sites have also been sequestrated but later they have been released.
On June 17, the investigation into the case of Zayd Saidov was classified as “secret.”
Saidov denies any wrongdoing and says his case is politically motivated.
