Polls have closed in Tajikistan’s presidential election amid reports of irregularities at some polling stations. The Central Election Commission, (CEC) said voter turnout in the election on November 6 was well above 80 percent. The CEC had earlier declared the election valid after the turnout figures passed the 50 percent threshold required to make the polls legitimate. Long-serving incumbent Emomali Rahmon is expected to win by a large margin. He ran against five relatively unknown candidates, who largely refrained from criticizing government policies during the state-sponsored presidential election campaign. The opposition Social Democrat Party boycotted the poll, saying the election campaign had been held amid “violations of the constitution” and with “state-organized falsifications.”
The party accuses Tajik authorities of creating obstacles that prevented the opposition’s single candidate, Oinihol Bobonazarova, from successfully registering.
Rahmon cast his ballot amid tight security at a Dushanbe polling station. RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported that journalists were barred from the polling station when Rahmon and his family members arrived.
The other five candidates also voted in their respective polling stations.
Full Article: Tajik President Expected To Win Fourth Term As Presidential Polls Close.
