Several sources told RFE/RL that former Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrohkhon Zarifi was arrested on unspecified charges last week. One source close to law enforcement said Zarifi was suspected of financial crimes related to the construction of the Foreign Ministry's new building. The 75-year-old Zarifi served as the Central Asian country's foreign minister from 2006 to 2013. From 2015 until his retirement in 2018, Zarifi served as Tajikistan's ambassador to Japan. Last week, investigators arrested lawmaker Saidjafar Usmonzoda on a charge of "usurping power." No further explanation of the charge was given and it remains unclear if the two arrests are linked. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Tajik Service, click here.
