DUSHANBE, June 19, Asia-Plus  -- Organizers of yesterday’s rally in Khorog has prepared a letter to the GBAO governor Qodir Qosim, in which they stated their demands.   

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, one of the rally organizers Alim Sherzamonov said that they demand that additional troops that were brought into the region from Dushanbe are withdrawn from Gorno Badakhshan before June 20.  

“Secondly, we demand that the regional prosecutor Rashid Gulmadshoyev retire,” Sherzamonov said, noting actions of the regional prosecutor had caused instability in the region. 

Thirdly, a session of the GBAO regional legislature (Majlis) that has been postponed for uncertain time without any explanation given should be held on the previously appointed date – June 20, Sherzamonov, who is the leader of the regional organization of the Social-Democratic Party (SDPT), said.

He further added that according to unconfirmed information, 30 officers of the special unit of the State Committee for National Security (GKNB), Alpha, arrived in Khorog yesterday.  “In all, at least 200 military personnel were brought into Khorog from Dushanbe,” said Sherzamonov, “Authorities should respond to our main demand – withdrawal of troops that have been brought into the region over last several days – already tomorrow.  If this issue is not solved by the time fixed, we will organize a rally on the Vahdat Square near the building of the GBAO regional government the day after tomorrow.”  

“Let deputy interior minister and his subordinates (some 20 persons), who arrived in the region to prepare president’s visit, stay here and do their work, while other military personnel brought into the region over the past several days should leave Gorno Badakhshan immediately,” Sherzamonov said.

We will recall that some 300 people gathered near the building of the GBAO regional government in Khorog yesterday morning, at around 9:00 a.m.  According to the rally organizers, people allegedly demonstrated against bringing additional troops into region.  The rally lasted till 1:30 p.m. and people then dispersed.