Is this the real logo of Rahmon's party? Photograph by Flickr user Hugo |-| (CC-usage).

Editor’s note: Opposition parties and candidates in Tajikistan are saying that the parliamentary election was tainted by many irregularities, elicit fraud, and a general lack of transparency. neweurasia’s Dushanbe relates several anecdotes of fraud, intimidation, and manipulation, including some eerily Soviet-style tricks.

Opposition parties and candidates in Tajikistan are saying that the parliamentary election was tainted by many irregularities, elicit fraud, and a general lack of transparency.  The Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) in particular has asked the Central Election Commission to review several dozens official complaints which they have submitted.

The election day was a rainy one in Tajikistan, but according to the Central Election Commission more than 85% of Tajik voters took part.  The number of “politically active” populations in the mountainous regions, where a big snow was falling throughout the day and some roads were closed due to avalanches, managed to reach 89%.  The figure recalls too uncomfortably similar inflated statistics from Soviet days.

Ordinary voters with whom I talked in Dushanbe and remote areas said the election was unfair and undemocratic.  They pointed out the following irregularities:

• So-called “family” voting, when one voter can vote on behalf of his or her entire family. Election officials in many constituencies allowed such voting.
• Limiting the rights of party or candidates observers. In many voting centers they were placed in corners, out of sight from the ballot counting.
• The conspicuous absence of names from the rosters. Remarkably, even the candidate from the IRPT was missing in some.
• One person told me that when he came to vote, he saw on the roster that someone else is already signed the list and voted on behalf of him.
• There were at least four cases when the party affiliation of the candidates was wrong.
• The local authorities (who are usually representatives of the ruling People’s Democratic Party) oversaw several voting centers, reportedly intimidating and forcing out some of opposition observers.
• Election officials directly recommended candidates to voters

Two more anecdotes: in one voting center the observer from an opposition social-democratic party left the center in protest, and in a district of Khatlon province, the candidate from the ruling party actually punched the head of the local election commission!

The IRPT has said that many people in the country were hopeful that this election will be free and democratic.  Now many are disappointed.  You can include this blogger in that assessment.  I shared Alpharabius’ hopes for the election’s prospects and actually believed there may have been a fighting chance for change.