DUSHANBE, May 13, 2013, Asia-Plus – Increasing pressure against Zayd Saidov is politically motivated and connected with his political intentions announced last month, the expert on the Tajik economy Dr. Hojimuhammad Umarov, who is also member of the Initiative Group for creation of a “New Tajikistan” party, said, commenting on charges brought against Zayd Saidov.

“We said that we will not participate in the upcoming presidential election due in November this year because we are not ready for it,” said Umarov.  “I am sure, that embezzlement charges brought against him are connected with the intention to create the party.”

He further added that the Initiative Group was currently preparing a statement regarding the situation around Zayd Saidov.

Tajik political scientist Parviz Mullojonov also considers that pressure made against Zayd Saidov is connected with the pre-election struggle in the country.

“Even if the party stated that it will not note participate in the upcoming presidential election, the authorities apparently fear that the Party of New Tajikistan can get serious competition for them during the parliamentary elections,” the expert noted.

“No one political technologist could make the better political advertisement for still not created party of Zayd Saidov than our law enforcement agencies did,” Rahmatillo Zoirov, the leader of the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT) told Asia-Plus in an interview.

The head of the Initiative Group for formation of the Party of New Tajikistan received phone threats, his home was searched, the Dushanbe prosecutor’s office accused him of polygamy, the anticorruption agency accused him of a large-scale embezzlement of public funds and the Coordinating Council of Business Associations and Public Associations (CCBAPAT) of Tajikistan headed by him was abolished.  That is a list of actions brought against known Tajik entrepreneur who is currently on a business trip to France.

Rahmatillo Zoirov says that it is still premature to make any conclusions on charges officially brought against Zayd Saidov.

According to him, the embezzlement charge is farfetched.  “They used to make pressure on him before and tried to exclude him from business,” SDPT leader stressed.

“As far as the polygamy charge is concerned, today it may be brought against the half of the male population of the country, especially those who represent business and governmental bodies,” Zoirov noted.