Tajikistan held parliamentary elections on March 2, with Emomali Rahmon’s party claiming victory without credible international oversight. The elections lacked real political competition, with all participating parties supporting Rahmon. The situation is marked by repression of opposition and media, raising serious concerns about the election’s legitimacy and the state of democracy in Tajikistan.
On March 2, Tajikistan, Central Asia’s poorest country adjacent to Afghanistan, held parliamentary elections under the longstanding regime of Emomali Rahmon, who has been in power since 1992. Rahmon’s party, the People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan, declared victory, securing 49 out of 63 parliamentary seats. However, the election suffered from a substantiated lack of international oversight as Western observers were essentially barred from monitoring the proceedings.
Despite the claims made by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, led by China and Russia, that the elections were “transparent, credible, and democratic,” these assertions do not accurately reflect the reality within the country. All participating political parties were aligned with Rahmon, leading to a political environment devoid of genuine competition. Over the last thirty years, opposition movements have been systematically dismantled, resulting in a predominantly state-run political landscape.
Many analysts perceive Tajikistan’s parliament as a “rubber-stamp body” with little to no legislative authority, as highlighted by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee. Since the 2015 prohibition of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan, the Social Democratic Party has struggled to gain parliamentary representation, and its leaders have been targets of government persecution.
The repression of political opposition extends to the media, with the government actively detaining individuals perceived as threats. Following the death of SDP leader Rakhmatillo Zoiirov, prominent figures including deputy Shokirjon Khakimov were arrested on charges of plotting against the government. Notably, Khakimov received an 18-year sentence, while his niece, journalist Ruhshona Khakimova, was also sentenced under opaque circumstances.
The lack of election oversight and transparency has undermined the credibility of the electoral process. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe refrained from monitoring the elections for the first time since 2000, citing concerns regarding international observer accreditation. The situation is compounded by the incursion of partisan media practices within Tajikistan’s distorted media landscape, where independent outlets like Radio Ozodi face increasing persecution.
With some media reporting potential voting irregularities, the absence of independent verification casts doubt on Tajikistan’s election integrity. Ultimately, the significant undermining of civil liberties, political opposition, and a free press evidences a regime increasingly characterized by authoritarian rule, questioning the legitimacy of the recent elections.
In summary, the parliamentary elections in Tajikistan failed to meet standards of transparency and fairness, primarily due to the absence of independent media and international oversight. Emomali Rahmon’s ongoing suppression of political dissent further diminishes the credibility of the electoral process. Given these circumstances, the legitimacy of the elections remains profoundly contested, indicating a concerning trend toward increased authoritarianism in the region.
Original Source: www.voanews.com
