DUSHANBE, September 7, 2012, Asia-Plus  - The Islamic Revival Party (IRP) on September 6 released a statement regarding accusations made against it by the Prosecutor-General’s Office.

The statement, in particular, notes that the Prosecutor-General’s Office initiated strict inspections on activities of the Islamic Revival Party in early March after leak of the governmental classified protocol # 32-30, which was published by the Polyarnaya Zvezda website.

We will recall that according to some media sources, Polyarnaya Zvezda on March 1 published an article entitled “Tajikistan on the Eve of Revolution.”  The article covered a meeting in which President Emomali Rahmon allegedly ordered security services to increase surveillance of local religious groups and members of the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan.

According to the statement, MPs Muhiddin Kabiri and Saidumar Husaini, who are representing the Islamic Revival Party in Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament, have applied to the Prosecutor-General’s Office over the authenticity of the protocol.  The Prosecutor-General’s Office said that the protocol is allegedly counterfeit. 

The IRP board considers that the inspections were illegal.

We will recall that the Prosecutor-General''s Office on August 29 accused members of the Islamic Revival Party of involvement in crimes connected to extremism and terrorism.

IRP leaders have denounced the prosecutor''s claims as part of a campaign aimed at shutting down the party.

Founded in October 1990, the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan was registered on December 4, 1991.  It was banned by the Supreme Court in June 1993 and legalized in August 1999.  Its official newspaper is Najot (Salvation).  According to some sources, IRP now has some 25,000-30,000 members.  It won two seats in the 2010 parliamentary elections.  The Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan is the only Islamic party registered in CIS Central Asia.