DUSHANBE, March 28, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- The Socialist-Democratic Party (SDP) will not participate in Dushanbe’s parliamentary by-election scheduled for May 15, SDP leader Rahmatillo Zoirov said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

According to him, they have also decided to recall their representatives from the electoral commission.  “The main reason for the party non-participation in the by-election is the refusal of our application for participation in work of polling stations, in which the destiny of deputy’s mandate is decided,” Zoirov said.

He added that it cannot be ruled out that Social-Democrats would support representatives of other political parties or an independent candidate running in by-election in that constituency. 

SDP leader recalled that he ran for a seat in the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) in that constituency in February 2010.  “I had firsthand knowledge of unfairness in the vote counting,” Zoirov said, noting that the 2010 parliamentary election results were falsified.  “During last year’s election campaign I held some 150 meetings with voters in this constituency and my election program met with support of many of voters,” said he, “There were more than 1,000 experts in my team, but according to the official results, we did not take even the second place.”