DUSHANBE, October 18, 2014, Asia-Plus — The Islamic Revival Party (IRP) leader Muhiddin Kabiri held a meeting with representatives of Tajik youth in Dushanbe on October 17.
During the meeting, IRP leader touched upon the issue of the intention of the Group 24 opposition movement to organize a mass antigovernment protest in downtown Dushanbe.
We will recall that Group 24, led by fugitive businessman Umarali Quvvatov, used social media to call for a mass antigovernment protest in downtown Dushanbe on October 10. The public protest never took place.
Speaking at the meeting, Kabiri noted that let those, who have something to say and demand, arrive in Tajikistan and use legal methods. According to him, the mentioned calls for protest were a kind of an alarm signal both for the government and the people.
“Thank God, it was just an intrigue and it was prevented,” IRP leader noted.
According to him, the time has come for the government to say that the upcoming parliamentary elections will be the beginning of a new period. Kabiri called on the government to ensure holding of transparent and fair parliamentary elections in 2015.
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 source, the 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. Current chairman of the IRP is Muhiddin Kabiri.
Women reportedly constitute more than 51 percent of the Islamic Revival Party members.
The 2015 parliamentary elections are expected to take place in Tajikistan in late February. Tajikistan’s Parliament (Majlisi Oli) has two chambers: the Assembly of Representatives (Majlisi Namoyandagon) and the National Assembly (Majlisi Milli). Majlisi Namoyandagon has 63 members, elected for a five-year term in, 22 by proportional representation and 41 in single-seat constituencies. Majlisi Milli has 33 members, 25 elected for a five-year term by local majlis members and eight appointed by the president.
