Resignation of the head of the Sughd directorate for youth and sports’ affairs has nothing to do with the case of Khairullo Mirsaidov, Akhtam Abdullozoda, the head of the Committee for Youth and Sports Affairs under the Government of Tajikistan, told reporters in Dushanbe on February 12.
“Olim Zohidzoda stepped down as the head of the Sughd directorate for youth and sports’ affairs on February 7 upon his own wish,” Abdullozoda noted.
Recall, stand-up comedian Khairullo Mirsaidov, who is leader of the Khujand KVN team, publicly stated in November last year that Olim Zohidzoda demanded a US$1,000 bribe.
Mirsaidov failed to produce evidence to support his application against Zohidzoda. Zohidzoda has filed a counterclaim against Mirsaidov accusing him of defamation.
Khairullo Mirsaidov was put under custody on December 5 and charges of misappropriate of state funds (Article 245, Part 4 of Tajikistan’s Penal Code), inciting national racial, regional or religious enmity (Article 189, Part 2), document forgery (Article 340, Part 1) and false denunciation (Article 346, Part 2) were officially brought against him on December 8.
The charges brought against Mirsaidov carry up to a total of 21 years in prison under Tajikistan’s Penal Code.
Mirsaidov is an independent journalist and a former correspondent of the Dushanbe-based Asia-Plus news agency and Germany's Deutsche Welle radio.
He is also the leader of the Tajik national KVN comedy team, a stand-up comedy competition which originated among university students in the Soviet Union and is still popular in many post-Soviet states.
