At least two of more than ten anticorruption officers who were allegedly arrested last month for corruption have been found in their working places.
Jamoliddin Muhammadzoda, the head of inspections department in the anticorruption agency, and Firdavs Niyozbadalov, an investigator with the anticorruption agency, are in their working places, though some sources reported earlier that they had been arrested in an anti-corruption operation.
Meanwhile, Asia-Plus’s reporters this week have managed to get in touch with Muhammadzoda and Niyozbadalov by their office phone numbers.
“I am a public servant and I have no right to comment” that was their answer.
Recall, more than 10 top investigators and officials of the anticorruption agency were arrested on April 24.
Thus, a former deputy chief of the anticorruption agency, Davlatbek Khairzoda, was reportedly detained at the airport of the northern city of Khujand as he was on his way to Russia. Among the detained, there was reportedly also Jamoliddin Muhammadzoda. Firdavs Niyozbadalov was reportedly also arrested. He was involved in the investigation into the former minister of industry Zaid Saidov. Saidov’s lawyers and human rights activists had complained that Niyozbadalov used unlawful methods and resorted to physical intimidation during that investigation.
All the people detained are facing charges of corruption, forging document and abuse of office.
The chief of the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption, Sulaimon Sultonzoda, declined to comment to reporters on April 26, saying that information related to the matter is classified as secret.
Meanwhile, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, citing Khairzoda’s brother, reports that Davlatbek Khairzoda is currently being held in the detention center of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS). Qutbiddin Khairzoda noted that his brother was being questioned about his employees. “Everything will become clear within the next few days,” Qutbiddin Khairzoda said.
