Tajikistan`s Islamic Revival Party to quit Public Council.

DUSHANBE, March 3 (Itar-Tass) - The Party of the Islamic Revival of
Tajikistan will quit the republic's Public Council headed by President
Emomali Rakhmon, in protest against election fraud.
The decision was made by the Party's Political Council on Wednesday,
deputy Party chairman Khikmatullo Saifullozoda told Itar-Tass.
At the February 28 election to the parliament, the Party netted 7.72
percent of votes, which secures just two seats in the republic's
legislature.
"It is our first protest move in connection with the mass violations
both during the campaigning, the voting, and the vote-count fraud in favor
of the ruling People's Democratic Party," Saifullozoda said.
The Political Council reserves the right to other forms of protests
within the framework of the Constitution. At present, we're preparing
dozens of legal actions against the Central Election Commission (CEC)," he
added.
Created during the five-year armed confrontation in 1989, the Party
was part of the unified Tajik opposition fighting the government. After
the signing of the peace deal in Moscow in 1997, the Party of the Islamic
Revival of Tajikistan was legalized and took part in all subsequent
parliamentary and presidential elections.
Its followers were given posts in government bodies within a
30-percent quota. At present, the Party is the republic's second largest
political force after the ruling party. It has been gaining momentum in
the republic, with an emphasis on "Islamic values."
Tajikistan's election officials said the ruling People's Democratic
Party had gathered 71.69 percent of votes. The Party of Economic Reforms
and the Agrarian Party unexpectedly netted 5-odd percent of votes and
obtained the status of the parties represented in the parliament. The
Islamites and the Communists gathered 7 percent of votes each.
There were eight political parties taking part in the recent election,
with 214 candidates vying for 63 mandates.
Turnout was 87.1 percent, the CEC reported.
The observer missions sent by the Commonwealth of Independent States
and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, called the elections "free and
open," while the Organization for Security and Cooperation in European
routinely expressed "disappointment." Western experts said the elections
did not meet the basic standards of democracy noting however certain
improvement.
CEC representative Abdurakhmon Abdumannonov announced that the ruling
party led by Tajik President Rakhmon, has a two-thirds majority in the new
parliament (45 of 63 mandates).
Deputy chairman of the ruling People's Democratic Party Safarali
Safarov said the Tajik President, Emomali Rakhmon," had expressed
satisfaction with the election result and his associates' victory.
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