DUSHANBE, November 20, 2015, Asia-Plus — The appeals court of Tajikistan”s Supreme Court has upheld the latter”s verdict against Tajik tycoon and ex-Minister of Industry Zayd Saidov.
An official source at the Supreme Court said the court session took place in the detention center of the State Committee for Nationals Security (SCNS) on November 20.
We will recall that Zayd Saidov was convicted on charges of financial fraud, polygamy, and sexual relations with a minor and sentenced to a 26-year prison term on December 25, 2013.
On August 11, 2015, Zayd Saidov had three years added to his 26-year prison sentence.
Originally, prosecutors wanted to add 25 years to Saidov’s existing sentence and the court decided on 20 years for the new charges.
The new charges were for forgery, abuse of office, embezzlement, and tax evasion and the case nominally revolved around construction of the Dushanbe-Plaza Center and alleged illegal privatization of a joint-stock company in conjunction with Saidov’s time as the Tajik Minister of Industry from 2002 to 2007.
But Tajik legislation limits the overall period of imprisonment to 30 years. By adding three years to Saidov’s existing sentence he will serve 29 years in prison.
The court reportedly also imposed a 34 million-somoni fine on Zayd Saidov.
Zayd Saidov maintains innocence and his supporters say the case against Zayd Saidov was politically motivated.
