DUSHANBE, September 14, 2015, Asia-Plus – Properties of the Islamic Revival Party (IRP) leader Muhiddin Kabiri and his relatives located in Dushanbe have reportedly been sealed.

All Dushanbe-based properties belonging to Muhiddin Kabiri and his relatives were searched last weekends, Kabiri’s relatives told Asia-Plus Monday afternoon.          

According to them, the Kabiri family’s properties were searched and inventoried by a special commission comprising representatives of the Prosecutor-General’s Office and the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption.

“All documents and office equipment were confiscated,” IRP leader’s relatives said.

Kabiri’s private house located in the Pivzavod (Dushanbe’s brewery) area was reportedly searched last Friday.

Besides, apartments and private houses of Kabiri’s sons have reportedly been sealed and their documents have been confiscated.

We will recall that IRP leader Muhiddin Kabiri went into exile in June fearing prosecution.  In early June the state-run newspaper Jumhuriyat published an article accusing IRP leader,  who was out of the country at the time, of breaking the law during a property transaction 16 years ago.

With Kabiri in exile, the party seems to have imploded. In June, heads of IRP’s organizations in the regions started resigning and closing their offices.  They cited the party’s poor performance in the elections and a series of scandals involving members for their move.  Some of the party activists vowed to join the ruling People’s Democratic Party. 

On August 28, the Ministry of Justice banned the IRP and gave it 10 days to halt all activities.

According to the ministry, the IRP cannot legally continue its activities because it does not have enough members to qualify as an officially registered party.  The ministry said that all the party''s branches in 58 cities and districts across Tajikistan have been closed.