The authorities have decided to confiscate the parental home of the previously convicted former mayor of Kulob, Bakhram Inoyatzoda. Currently, the house is occupied by the former mayor’s brother, Orom Izzatov, along with his five children and grandchildren. In an interview with Radio Ozodi, Orom Izzatov reported that local authorities are pressuring him and his […]
The authorities have decided to confiscate the parental home of the previously convicted former mayor of Kulob, Bakhram Inoyatzoda.
Currently, the house is occupied by the former mayor’s brother, Orom Izzatov, along with his five children and grandchildren.
In an interview with Radio Ozodi, Orom Izzatov reported that local authorities are pressuring him and his family members to vacate the parental home.
It is reported that Bakhram Inoyatzoda’s parental home was transferred to state ownership by court decision back in 2020, and now, four years later, they must vacate it.
The authorities believe that this house was built with funds embezzled by the former mayor of Kulob from the regional budget, but Orom Izzatov claims that his brother has no connection to the house.
Orom Izzatov stated that Bakhram Inoyatzoda left the parental home in 1978, and their father bequeathed the house to Izzatov. In none of the documents for the house is Inoyatzoda’s name mentioned. Izzatov claims that he worked hard in Russia for 20 years to renovate and restore it.
The authorities of Kulob are not commenting on the situation.
Bakhram Inoyatzoda was arrested by the court on June 8, 2020, and on the same day was removed from his position by presidential decree. He was charged with “fraud, abuse of power, receiving a large bribe, embezzlement of state property, illegal land transactions, and money laundering.” The court sentenced Inoyatzoda to 12 years in prison.
Inoyatzoda did not admit his guilt, stating that “there is no justice in Tajikistan.”
In February 2020, Bakhram Inoyatzoda ordered the suspension of the construction of high-rise buildings being erected by a company linked to Beg Sabur, the brother-in-law of President Emomali Rahmon and head of the Communications Service of Tajikistan.
At that time, during a press conference, he sharply criticized Rahmon’s brother-in-law for his company owing 4 million somoni (approximately $400,000).
“I ordered to stop the supply of water and electricity to these under-construction buildings. Beg Sabur’s debt to the city’s tax authorities is 4 million somoni, but he does not intend to pay off the debt. I ordered to take urgent measures. There is no other way to deal with him. Look, in Dushanbe, the construction of two of his new buildings has been halted. We will do the same. Enough! What a character, Khoja Akhrori Vali!” – Inoyatzoda expressed his outrage at that time.
After this, he began to have problems, and a couple of months later he was arrested and later sentenced to 12 years in prison.