By empty (2/25/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)
Tajik opposition parties stated on 24 February that they continue to face harassment in the final days before 27 February parliamentary elections. Rahmatullo Valiev, deputy head of the Democratic Party, told a news conference on 24 February that the party\'s television advertisements have been shown with central elements of the party\'s program removed, RFE/RL\'s Tajik Service reported. Rahmatullo Zoirov, leader of the Social Democratic Party, charged that more ballots than there are registered voters have been delivered to a number of districts, raising fears of possible fraud, the BBC\'s Persian Service reported on 24 February.
Tajik opposition parties stated on 24 February that they continue to face harassment in the final days before 27 February parliamentary elections. Rahmatullo Valiev, deputy head of the Democratic Party, told a news conference on 24 February that the party\'s television advertisements have been shown with central elements of the party\'s program removed, RFE/RL\'s Tajik Service reported. Rahmatullo Zoirov, leader of the Social Democratic Party, charged that more ballots than there are registered voters have been delivered to a number of districts, raising fears of possible fraud, the BBC\'s Persian Service reported on 24 February. Central Election Commission officials denied the charges. Also on 24 February, Latif Hadyazoda, head of the Public Center for Election Observation and Monitoring, warned that local election commissions across the country are making efforts to turn out the vote for the ruling People\'s Democratic Party, RFE/RL\'s Tajik Service reported. (RFE/RL)