DUSHANBE, April 20, 2013, Asia-Plus – The deputy head of the Islamic Revival Party (IRP) has reportedly been attacked in Dushanbe.
According to Reuters, a colleague said the IRP deputy head Mahmadali Hayit was kicked and beaten by several unidentified attackers outside his home on the evening of April 19.
“Several people attacked the deputy head of the IRP just outside his house. They beat him and kicked him, he was all covered in blood,” Hikmatullo Sayfullozoda, another leading IRP member, was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Mahmadali Hayit was taken to hospital after sustaining moderate and severe wounds, Mr. Sayfullozoda added.
It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack and what the motives were, but Sayfullozoda linked it to politics. “The reason behind the beating is his active political activism, his civic opposition, his opposition to the current authorities,” Sayfullozoda told Reuters.
We will recall that Hikmatullo Sayfullozoda, who is a member of the IRP political council and editor of its newspaper,
Najot
, was also severely beaten in February 2011. On February 7, 2011, he was attacked on his way to the
Najot’s
office in Dushanbe.
According to him, he was set upon by two assailants after a third person approached him and attempted to distract him. He suffered a blow to the skull and severe bruising around his eyes and mouth.
Founded in October 1990, the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan was registered on December 4, 1991. It was banned by the Supreme Court in June 1993 and legalized in August 1999. Its official newspaper is
Najot
(Salvation). According to some sources, IRP now has some 50,000 members. It won two seats in the 2010 parliamentary elections. The Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan is the only Islamic party registered in CIS Central Asia.
