DUSHANBE, June 14, 2013, Asia-Plus – The authorities have sequestrated property of known Tajik businessman and former minister of Industry Zayd Saidov and his nearest relatives, Saidov’s defense lawyer Shuhrat Qudratov, told Asia-Plus today morning.

According to him, the anticorruption agency has sent a letter to notarial service, noting that the property should not be put on until investigation complete.

“To-date, five cars belonging to Zayd Saidov and his sons as well as their houses have been sequestrated,” said Qudratov.  “Working premises and building sites have also been sequestrated but later they have been released.”

Qudratov says he saw his client for the last time on May 29.

We will recall that Zayd Saidov, the leader of Tajikistan''s unregistered New Tajikistan party, was detained on May 19 on charges of corruption.  He has been stripped of his parliamentary immunity.

On May 22, a court in Dushanbe’s Firdavsi district issued the arrest warrant for Zayd Saidov.  He was ordered held in pretrial detention for up to two months.  The court also ruled that Zayd Saidov cannot be released on bail.

Saidov denies any wrongdoing and says his case is politically motivated.  According to Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, he said during the court hearing on May 22 that he is being persecuted for his decision last month to set up his new political party.