The State Committee for National Security (SCNS) noted yesterday that it had detained a person who hoisted the flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group over an enterprise owned by nephew of the founder of the Islamic revival Party of Party of Tajikistan (IPRT) Sayid Abdulloh Nouri.  

According to statement released by the SCNS, the 31-year-old resident of the Vakhsh district Qurbonali Partoyev for ISIS flag over the enterprise owned by Nusratullo Saidov, nephew of Sayid Abdulloh Nouri.

Partoyev was shown on Tajik national TV channel Tojikiston.  He said that he had hoisted the ISIS flag over the enterprise of Nusratullo Saidov in order to frame him.   

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against Qurbonali Partoyev under the provisions of two articles of Tajikistan's Penal Code: Article 32 (1) – preparation for crime; and Article 307 (1) – public calls for performance of an extremist activity and public justification of extremism.  

Recall, ISIS flag was hoisted over the enterprise located in the Vakhsh district of the Khatlon province on the night of September 18-19.

Three residents of the Vakhsh district were reportedly arrested on suspicion of hoisting the flag over the enterprise.

The law enforcement authorities of the Khatlon province have refrained from commenting on the incident.

Meanwhile, Ferghana news agency reported that Nusratullo Saidov, nephew of Sayid Abdulloh Nouri, had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in that incident.

According to Ferghana, Kholmurod Nouriddinov, the head of the Tojikobod jamoat in the Vakhsh district, confirmed the fact of the arrest of Nusratullo Saidov in his interview with Akhbor.com website.  

Three ISIS flags have reportedly been found in the loft of head office of the farming unit managed by Nusratullo Saidov.  Some ten other people have reportedly been detained together with Nusratullo Nouri.  

Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reports that ISIS flags were hoisted over the houses of Nusratullo Saidov and one another local resident on February 16.  But it is unknown who and for what purpose hoisted those flags.

Meanwhile, Nusratullo Saidov told regional newspaper Khatlon on February 19 that he has not been arrested.  According to him, he was just summoned to the law enforcement authorities for questioning on Monday and he was released after questioning.  

Nusratullo Saidov is the son of Nouriddin Saidov, the elder brother of Sayid Abdulloh Nouri.  

Sayid Abdulloh Nouri (March 15, 1947 – August 9, 2006) led the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan from 1993 until he died of cancer in August 2006.  During the Tajik civil war of 1992 to 1997 he led the United Tajik Opposition (UTO). Nouri and President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon ended the civil war by signing the Tajik National Peace Accord in 1997.

Nouri was born in Sangvor, Rasht Valley, Tajikistan.  In 1974 he founded Nahzat-i Islomi, an Islamic education organization.  Soviet police arrested him in 1986 for spreading 'religious propaganda', imprisoning him until 1988.