DUSHANBE, June 19, 2013, Asia-Plus – The first meeting of the public committee for protection of Constitutional rights of Zayd Saidov took place in Dushanbe on June 18.

Speaking at the meeting, Zayd Saidov’s son, Khairullo Saidov, noted that pressure on their family and relatives had stopped but various government bodies were continuing to inspect their enterprises.

According to him, the Tax Committee has inspected their enterprises activities for the last five years.

“Moreover, large fines have been imposed on our enterprises and our bank accounts have been frozen,” said Khairullo Saidov.  “As a result of this, we have lost major part of our employees.”  

One of members of the initiative group for formation of “New Tajikistan” party, Mahmoudjon Qosimov, noted that six Tajik public associations active in the Russian Federation and Tajik nationals living in the United States and Canada had joined the initiative group recently.   

The meeting participants made an appeal to the population of Tajikistan and international organizations.

The appeal, in particular, says that representatives of Tajikistan civil society call on international institutions, international community and all people of goodwill to join them in their efforts to draw Tajik authorities’ attention to the necessity of strictly observing national laws and requirements of international human rights standards.

Former Tajik minister of industry Zayd Saidov, who is leader of the initiative group for formation of a “New Tajikistan” party, was detained on May 19 on charges of corruption.  He has been stripped of his parliamentary immunity.  On May 22, a court in Dushanbe’s Firdavsi district issued the arrest warrant for Zayd Saidov.  He was ordered held in pretrial detention for up to two months.  The court also ruled that Zayd Saidov cannot be released on bail.

The authorities have sequestrated property of Zayd Saidov and his nearest relatives.  The anticorruption agency has reportedly sent a letter to notarial service, noting that the property should not be put on sale until investigation complete.