DUSHANBE, August 14, 2013, Asia-Plus – On Tuesday August 13, known Tajik businessman and former minister of industry, Zayd Saidov, was confronted with underage girl who accused him of raping her.
“When Zayd Saidov saw the girl he said that he has never seen her,” Saidov’s defense lawyer, Ishoq Tabarov, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
“The girl, however, recognized Zayd Saidov and continued accusing him of raping her. Of course, who does not know Zayd? Everybody knows him now,” the lawyer noted.
“Anyway, we are satisfied with the meeting’s results. I still cannot give details, but we heard at this meeting that what we needed,” Tabarov added.
We will recall that Zayd Saidov, who is initiator of formation of a “New Tajikistan” party, now faces charges of large scale fraud, large-scale corruption, polygamy, and raping a minor. He is currently being held at the SCNS-run pretrial detention facility.
In May, Zayd Saidov emerged as a driving force behind the formation of New Tajikistan, a group comprised largely of businessmen and intellectuals who promised to focus on economic development. The party made it clear it had no interest in fielding a candidate for the presidential election this autumn. Yet it also stressed it was not a “pocket” party designed simply to create the appearance of a more vibrant political playing field in Tajikistan.
Zayd Saidov 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. 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.
Last month, Saidov, 55, was charged with raping a minor and forcing her to have repeated abortions over a period of four years.
Saidov’s lawyers say the new accusations are designed to keep him detained while investigators furiously search for evidence to confirm their earlier embezzlement charges.
Saidov denies any wrongdoing and says his case is politically motivated.
