In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, the Director of the Institute of Philosophy, Political Science and Law at the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, Nozim Mahmadzoda, noted on August 1 that criminal proceedings have been instituted against the head of the Department of Political and International Relations at the Institute of Philosophy, Political Science and Law, Akbarsho Iskandarov; an investigation is under way.
According to him, Akbarsho Iskandarov was summoned to the Prosecutor-General’s Office about two months ago and was detained after the questioning.
“Investigation into his case has been designated "secret," and therefore, we do not have more information about it,” said Mahmadzoda. “We try not to intervene in the course of the investigation.”
As it had been reported earlier, Akbarsho Iskandarov, the former chairman of Tajikistan’s parliament, which was known as the Shuroi Oli (Supreme Council) until the early 1990s, was summoned to the Prosecutor-General’s Office on June 13 and 14 and has been held in custody since the second visit.
According to some sources, about 50 people in total were summoned to the Prosecutor-General's Office at the time; all of them were released but ordered not to leave Dushanbe.
However, the country’s authorities neither confirm nor deny this report and don't provide any information at all.
Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, reported on July 30 that authorities in Tajikistan have seized the property of a recently detained group of prominent political figures, as well as their close relatives.
The investigative authorities have reportedly frozen the bank accounts of ex-chairman of the Democratic Party (DPT) also former member of parliament Saidjafar Usmonzoda, ex-chairman of the Supreme Council of Tajikistan Akbarsho Iskandarov, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Hamrokhon Zarifi, journalist and deputy chairman of the DPT Ahmadsho Komilzoda, and deputy chairman of the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT) Shokirjon Hakimov, along with their immediate family members.
The 73-year-old veteran politician Akbarsho Iskandarov (born August 1, 1951) was twice acting president of Tajikistan. He first served as acting president from October 6, 1991, to December 2, 1991, when Rahmon Nabiyev stepped down to fight Tajikistan's first presidential election. Nabiyev won the election and took over as the first popularly elected president in the country's history, but resigned in September 1992, following a coup d'état. Iskandarov again took the interim presidency and later resigned on 20 November 1992. Iskandarov also served as Tajikistan’s ambassador to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.
