Tajikistan held parliamentary elections under President Emomali Rahmon, who has ruled since 1992. The elections were described as democratic by some organizations, yet they were marred by a lack of real competition, suppression of dissent, and insufficient international oversight. The OSCE canceled its monitoring mission due to concerns about independence, highlighting the exacerbated authoritarianism in the country. Media freedoms are severely restricted, calling into question the legitimacy of the electoral results.
On March 2, Tajikistan, the poorest nation in Central Asia, conducted parliamentary elections under President Emomali Rahmon, who has been in power since 1992. His party, the People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan, reported a victory by securing 49 of 63 parliamentary seats. However, the elections were characterized by a conspicuous lack of international oversight as Western observers were effectively barred from monitoring.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, led by China and Russia, falsely declared the elections as “transparent, credible, and democratic.” Nevertheless, the essential reality contradicts these claims, revealing a political environment devoid of true competition. All six participating parties aligned with Rahmon, who has systematically dismantled political opposition over the last thirty years. The government’s heavy reliance on a personality cult and oppression of dissent renders the elections fundamentally uncompetitive.
Political opposition in Tajikistan has faced severe repression, particularly since the banning of the Islamic Renaissance Party in 2015. The Social Democratic Party has not secured parliamentary seats since its inception, and its leaders have endured harassment. The parliamentary body is viewed as a “rubber-stamp body,” lacking any substantive legislative authority, further solidifying Rahmon’s control.
The repression extended to media and political activists, with multiple detentions related to perceived threats against the regime. For example, Shokirjon Khakimov, a prominent figure, was sentenced to eighteen years in prison alongside others accused of plotting against the government. Furthermore, significant media outlets faced bans, exemplifying the lack of transparency surrounding the elections and the continued intimidation of dissenters.
The election oversight was critically undermined due to the absence of independent monitoring. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) canceled its mission due to a lack of guarantees for international observer accreditation, indicating a deepening authoritarian trend under Rahmon’s regime. Journalistic freedoms are also deteriorating, with Radio Ozodi, the last independent media outlet, facing severe restrictions and being barred from election coverage.
Irregularities were reported by some regional media, which detailed potential voter fraud instances, illustrating further complications around the integrity of the election process. Ultimately, the lack of transparent media or oversight resulted in unverified election outcomes, underscoring the authoritarian constraints that persist in Tajikistan and calling into question the legitimacy of the electoral process and the broader democratic principles at play.
The parliamentary elections in Tajikistan were fundamentally flawed due to a lack of independent oversight and rampant suppression of political opposition. This situation renders claims of transparency and democratic validity grossly inaccurate. With the environment stifling freedoms of expression and media, the prospects for genuine democratic governance remain distant under Rahmon’s authoritative regime.
Original Source: www.voanews.com
