DUSHANBE, October 20, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Ishoq Tabarov, one of defense lawyers for the jailed Tajik tycoon Zayd Saidov, says the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption last week brought a number of new charges against this client.

“New charges were brought against Zayd Saidov from October 16 to October 18,” said the lawyer.  “New charges were brought against Zayd Saidov under the provisions of the following articles of Tajikistan’s Penal Code: Article 340 (2) – document forgery; Article 314 (2) – abuse of office; Article 245 (4) – embezzlement; Article 362 (3) – illegal acts over property liable to arrest or confiscation; and Article 292 (2) – tax evasion.”

We will recall that Zayd Saidov was sentenced to 26 years'' imprisonment on December 25, 2013 after being convicted of financial fraud, polygamy, and sexual relations with a minor.

In July this year, the anticorruption agency brought new charges against Zayd Saidov – embezzlement or misappropriation of funds and forgery of documents.  Saidov reportedly committed these infringements during construction of the Dushanbe-Plaza Center.

Zayd Saidov maintains innocence and his supporters say the case against Zayd Saidov was politically motivated.