DUSHANBE, March 27, Asia-Plus  -- Tajik Democrats have refrained from participating in a SDPT (Social Democratic Party)-organized demonstration in Khorog, Gorno Badakhshan due in April.

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, the deputy leader of the Democratic Party (DPT), Rahmatullo Valiyev, said, “We have not seen any compelling reasons to support arguments made by the Social-Democratic Party over redistricting six villages into the Tavildara district and ceding 1,000 square kilometers to China.”  

“As far as accusation of GBAO police of extortion and arbitrary enforcement of the law is concerned, we asked the head of our regional organization in Gorno Badakhshan Marod Mirasanov to clear up the situation,” Valieyv said.

We will recall some 300 demonstrators staged a public protest in Khorog on March 17, accusing local police of extortion and arbitrary enforcement of the law.  The demonstration was organized after two officers from the local prosecutor’s office were reportedly assaulted after allegedly soliciting bribes from traders in the Roshtqala district on March 14.  The protesters also demanded the return of six villages in GBAO’s Darvoz district that had been redistricting into the neighboring district by parliament, arguing that Tajikistan’s Constitution requires consent of the GBAO regional legislature (Majlis) before any change to the administrative borders of Gorno Badakhshan can be implemented.  

            In the meantime, during a press conference hosted by the SDPT in Dushanbe on March 19, it was noted that the party intends to hold a demonstration in Khorog  on April 8  to protest at repeated violations of requirements of the Constitution and the T Law “On the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region.”