DUSHANBE, October 11, 2013, Asia-Plus – Ms. Oynihol Bobonazarova, nominated by the Islamic Revival Party (IRP) to run in the 2013 presidential election, has managed to collect 201,236 voter signatures by 6:00 pm of October 10 to support her candidature.
Ms. Bobonazarova stated this at a press conference in Dushanbe on October 11. “Anyway it is a great achievement to collect 201,236 signatures under such a pressure,” Ms. Bobonazarova said.
“It seemed that my opponent was not Emomali Rahmon but the whole state machine. I knew that it would be a heavy way, but I did not suppose that there will be so many obstacles and difficulties,” Bobonazarova noted.
She noted that many obstacles had been put, including campaign to discredit representatives of the Islamic Revival Party and delay in providing forms for collection of the required 210,000 signatures. “All this has complicated our work to collect supporter signatures,” Bobonazarova added.
The Central Commission for Elections and Referenda (CCER) announced in the morning on October 11 that Ms. Bobonazarova failed to collect the required 210,000 signatures to support her candidature, and therefore, her candidacy is withdrawn.
We will recall that the CCER extended a deadline for the collection of voter signatures required by presidential candidates that was set for October 7 to October 10. On October 10, the CCER extended the deadline for Bobonazarova by a day, giving her more time to submit the required 210,000 signatures to the CCER.
Under the country’s legislation, nominated candidates are required to support their candidature with signatures from 5 per cent (210,000) of the electorate. Many local experts say that the high number of signatures, in combination with a short period of time, present significant obstacles to registering as a candidate.
The Islamic Revival Party confirmed its support for Bobonazarova at a party congress on September 17.
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 included constitutional reforms, namely shortening the presidential term and limiting terms in office to a maximum of two. Her platform also targeted the transfer of some presidential powers to the legislative and executive branches.
A lawyer by profession, Ms. Bobonazarova is best known for her advocacy of human rights and her work with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Open Society Institute/Assistance Foundation.
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.
Thus, six presidential candidates, including incumbent President Emomali Rahmon, have been officially registered for the poll.
