DUSHANBE, December 13, 2011, Asia-Plus — On Sunday December 11, the Board of the Political Council of the National Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (NSDPT) released a statement over current relations between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation.
“Unbridled distortion of facts has taken place in media outlets since the verdict was passed by the Qurghon Teppa city court on two pilots working for the Rolkan Investment Limited and in connection with cases of brutal killing of Tajik nationals in Russia,” the statement says, noting that those facts are even used for political purposes, including elections to Russia’s State Duma.
The NSDPT board condemns political pressure on Tajikistan from Russia in connection with the verdict passed on the pilots, including deportation of Tajik labor migrants that coincided with elections to the State Duma. “It is a political blackmail,” the statement said.
The NSDPT board also condemns “position of the Government of Tajikistan” that had changed “position of the court for political purposes and following political blackmail.”
“The NSDPT board considers it inadmissible to respond to the facts of killing of Tajik nationals in Russia by political means; calls for such means have become more frequent in media outlets,” stressed the statement, “In the state governed by the rule of law, legal issues must be solved by legal means and mechanisms and political issues by political [means].”
The NSDPT board demands that the Russian side immediately investigate the mentioned cases of brutal killing of Tajik nationals in the Russian Federation. “Any other behavior of Russia will be assessed as non-fulfillment by it of its laws and international obligations.”
The NSDPT board calls on Tajik labor migrants not to yield to provocations.
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. The party was renamed the National Social-Democratic Party on December 4, 2011.
Chairman of the Nationals Social-Democratic Party is Rahmatillo Zoirov and the party reportedly has 7,700 members.
