Freedom Now: Zayd Saidov case

The report states that Zayd Saidov, a Tajik businessman and former Minister of Industry (2003-2007), was arrested on 19 May 2013 and is serving a 29-year sentence on charges that, according to the report, were designed to disrupt his creation of an opposition party. The report notes that in April 2013 Saidov announced the formation of the New Tajikistan Party, and that shortly afterwards he received a message threatening his life if he did not withdraw from politics. According to the report, while Saidov was abroad in France, police raided his house, and on his return from France he was arrested without a warrant and held for 35 hours; the Dushanbe City Council then stripped him of his position and immunity. The report lists the five original charges under the Tajik Criminal Code: polygamy (Article 170), illegal deprivation of liberty (Article 131), rape (Article 138), fraud (Article 247) and bribery (Article 319). The report states the trial was closed to the public despite Tajik law requiring access, that access to his attorney was limited, and that he was convicted on 25 December 2013 and sentenced to 26 years. The report notes the UN Human Rights Committee found the trial in violation of international law and called for his release. In October 2014 additional charges of forgery, abuse of office, embezzlement and tax evasion were brought, adding three years to the sentence in August 2015.