DUSHANBE, September 17, 2013, Asia-Plus – The Islamic Revival Party (IRP) held its pre-election congress today.
Speaking at the congress, IRP leader Muhiddin Kabiri called on members of his party to support Oynihol Bobonazarova as a presidential candidate in the November 6 poll.
According to him, the IRP founder Said Abdullo Nuri in the 1990s wanted Ms. Bobonazarova to become the Deputy Prosecutor-General of Tajikistan but she refused noting that “she has always been attorney and human rights activist.”
“Some people say that Bobonazarova is the person of Kabiri and IRP but there are witnesses who know that IRP was slow in supporting her candidacy,” said Kabiri. “Ms. Bobonazarova did not want to be a single candidate of the Union of Reformist Forces of Tajikistan (URFT) because IRP did not support her. But IRP consists of not only its leader, and therefore, we have come to a conclusion that Ms. Bobonazarova should become the URFT single candidate.”
We will recall that a coalition of Tajik opposition groups has nominated lawyer and human rights activist Oynihol Bobonazarova to be their candidate for president in elections scheduled for this November. The Union of Reformist Forces of Tajikistan (URFT) made the announcement on September 9. Bobonazarova”s candidacy was officially recognized by the union on September 10. The URFT is led by the Islamic Revival Party and the Social-Democratic Party.
Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reported on September 10 that Tajikistan”s first female presidential candidate has said that, if elected, she would lead the country only for a transition period while reforms are implemented.
Bobonazarova”s program reportedly includes constitutional reforms, namely shortening the presidential term and limiting terms in office to a maximum of two. Her platform also targets the transfer of some presidential powers to the legislative and executive branches.
Ms. Oynihol Bobonazarova is the head of the “Perspektiva” social movement and since 1990 has been known for her work with democratic parties in Tajikistan. She was jailed for several months in 1993, during Tajikistan”s civil war, for her activities.
