My statements treated in government normally, says DPT leader

“Recently some citizens have blamed the government and the parliament for all negative things taking place in society,” said Usmonzoda.  “But they do not question to whom and when they applied for this issue and whether they have taken any step.”  

“Three days ago, I applied to constituents through social networks with solicitation to use more actively opportunities of their deputies in the parliament for solving arising problems.  Since then, more than 500 citizens have called me saying that they do not know elects representing their interests in the parliament.  They majority of them do not believe that their elects will receive and help them,” DPT leader noted.  

“In cases when parliamentarians avoid meetings with their electors, the latters can apply on this issue to the parliament leadership,” Usmonzoda said.     

Asked whether his some bold statements cause him problems with the authorities, Usmonzoda said, “My statements treated in government normally.” 

Recall, in the period when it was about raising Internet prices Usmonzoda noted that Internet price hike could cause discontent among population and turn people against the government.  According to him, the government could cancel the antimonopoly agency’s decree on raising mobile Interne prices.       

In June last year, Usmonzoda drew president’s attention to rude attitude by some law enforcement officers to employees of troubled banks. Speaking at a regular sitting of the Majlisi Namoyandagon, Ismonzoda noted on June 13 that some law enforcement officers working with commissions that have been set up to solve problems of the country’s troubled banks have been treating employees of the troubled banks (Tojiksodirotbonk and Agroinvestbonk) and the liquidated banks (Tajprombank and Fononbank) as criminals.   

“The law enforcement officers forget that employees of the banking sphere have made a significant contribution to development of Tajikistan,” MP Ismonzoda noted.   

The Democratic Party of Tajikistan can trace its origins back to the last days of the Soviet Union.  Registered on June 21, 1991 and banned by the Supreme Court on June 21, 1993, the Democratic Party of Tajikistan was reregistered on December 3, 1999.

At the end of 1990s, two factions laid claim to the Democratic Party of Tajikistan: the Almaty platform led by Mahmadruzi Iskandarov and the Tehran platform run by Azam Afzali.  The Tehran platform later transformed itself into the Taraqqiyot (Progress) Party.

On October 5, 2005, the Supreme Court sentenced DPT leader Mahmadruzi Iskandarov to 23 years in prison.  The sentence followed his conviction on charges of terrorism, the embezzlement of state funds, and the illegal storage of weapons, though his supporters say he was jailed for political motives.

The party split into two factions again and the Ministry of Justice recognized Masoud Sobirov as the legitimate leader of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan in October 2006.    

Democrats in the Sughd province and the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) as well as some primary organizations of the party in other regions of the country did not recognize Masoud Sobirov as the party leader and they demanded convocation of the extraordinary congress of the party.

An extraordinary congress of the party took place in Dushanbe on December 23, 2012 and Saidjaffar Usmonzoda was elected as chairman of the party.

According to some source, the party now has some 20,000 members.