DUSHANBE, February 21, 2014, Asia-Plus — Leader of the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDP), Rahmatillo Zoyirov, has complained to the Prosecutor-General’s office about inactivity of the law enforcement authorities.
“I have filed a complaint to the Prosecutor-General’s office about the Ministry of Interior (MoI),” SDP leader told Asia-plus in an interview on February 21.
In his complaint, Mr. Zoyirov accuses a MoI of violating norm and requirements of Tajikistan’s law on rules of reviewing citizens’ applications.
“The Interior Ministry has displayed inertia in considering my applications for investigation into incidents that took place on December 9, 2013 and February 1, 2014,” Zoyirov said, noting that his repeated applications to the law enforcement authorities have been shelved.
We will recall that the SDP in December accused authorities of using a group of “rent-a-crowd” women to put pressure on it.
The claim followed an incident that took place on December 9, when some two dozen female protesters noisily disrupted the SDP press conference to criticize its leader and heap praise on President Emomali Rahmon. As the presser got under way, the women burst into the room, shouting. They confronted Zoyirov and other party leaders, accusing them of seeking to destabilize the country, unlawfully challenging “popular” President Rahmon, and “not wanting peace.” The women demanded Zoyirov “let Rahmon work as he was elected by a majority of Tajikistan”s citizens.”
The women claimed they are “neighbors who found out about Zoyirov”s meeting from the Internet.” They said they didn”t know each other, and that their sudden appearance at the meeting wasn”t an organized act but an expression of concern by ordinary citizens.
Journalists, however, quickly recognized some familiar faces in the crowd.
At least two of the women reportedly took part in a rally outside the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe in April 2013 protesting the release of former Tajik Prime Minister Abdumalik Abdullojonov detained in Ukraine.
Besides, seven or eight women attempted to burst into SDP’s headquarters on February 1, but the door was locked because no one was in the office at that time.
Founded in 2002, the Social-Democratic Party was registered on December 20, 2002. It was originally registered as the Party of Justice and Development in 1999. Tajikistan”s Ministry of Justice requested the same year that the Supreme Court ban the party”s activities and its registration was canceled. The party re-emerged and was registered under the name of the Social-Democratic Party in late 2002. Chairman of the Social-Democratic Party is Rahmatillo Zoyirov and the party reportedly has 7,700 members.
