DUSHANBE, April 15, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan''s new prosecutor-general has fired 13 public prosecutors in what he says is an effort to reform the prosecutor''s office, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reports.

Sherkhon Salimzoda, who was chairman of Tajikistan''s Anticorruption Agency before being named prosecutor-general in mid-February, said at a press conference in Dushanbe on April 12 that the sackings were necessary because "there were many deficiencies in the prosecutors'' activities."

Salimzoda, 53, said three of those fired were accused of not preventing corruption in their offices. He said eight were found not to be applying property laws in their work and the other two were suspected of covering up crimes.

No criminal cases have yet been opened against the fired procurators.

President Emomali Rahmon named Salimzoda to replace Bobojon Bobokhonov, who had been a rival of Salimzoda when he headed the Anticorruption Agency.