DUSHANBE, December 2, 2013, Asia-Plus:

November 1                  - The Social-Democratic Party said it will boycott the 2013 presidential election.   The party noted in its statement that the campaign is being held amid "violations of the constitution" and with “state-organized falsifications.”  The statement criticized the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda (CCER) for not allowing candidates to collect signatures from among the thousands of Tajik migrants working abroad.  It was also critical of obstacles it says the commission put in place that prevented the Islamic Revival Party (IRP)’s candidate, Oynihol Bobonazarova, from successfully registering for the vote.

November 2                  - An activist of the Islamic Revival Party (IRP) in the northern city of Isfara, Umedjon Tojiyev, was hospitalized after falling from the third floor of an investigative center in Isfara.  Police said that Tojiyev, who was officially charged with organizing a criminal group, jumped from a third-floor window and broke his leg.  His colleagues and relatives say the charges against him are politically motivated and that he might have been tortured while in custody.

November 4                  - YouTube and the news portal Ozodagon were rendered inaccessible for clients of some Internet providers in Tajikistan on the eve of that country''s presidential election.  The partial blockage of them was reportedly ordered by the Communications Service under the Government of Tajikistan.

November 6                  - Incumbent President Emomali Rahmon won the 2013 presidential election with 84.32 percent of the vote.  The victory gave him a new seven-year term in office after 21 years in power.  Rahmon ran against five little-known and largely loyal candidates after IRP’s candidate, Oynihol Bobonazarova, was disqualified after failing to gather the required number of signatures.  Election observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe have said the election lacked pluralism and genuine choice.

November 10                - An earth quake totally destroyed 118 homes and partially damaged 259 homes in the villages adjacent to the Vahdat Township.  The epicenter of the earthquake, which had a magnitude of 5.0 on the MSK-64 scale, was near the village of Andigon in Vahdat, some 26 kilometers southeast of Dushanbe.  In Dushanbe, the quake reportedly measured 4.0 on the MSK-64 scale;

                                    - Hundreds of fans of popular Tajik rappers Master Ismail and Bakh-84 had to leave a concert in Moscow after an unidentified gas was released inside the Moscow Hall concert arena.  A Moscow Hall spokesman, Nikolai Sviridenko, said the concert was disrupted by what he called an "unpleasant incident" that took place after one fan argued with the venue''s ticket takers.  No one was injured.

November 12                - The Russian government made a decision on temporary application of an agreement on duty-free Russian oil product deliveries to Tajikistan.   

November 12-16           - International industrial exhibition, dubbed Tajikistan - 2013, took place in Dushanbe.  30 Iranian companies participated in the exhibition, which was organized by Tajikistan’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) and Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Mines (ICCIM).

November 16                - Emomali Rahmon was sworn in for his fourth term in office as Tajikistan''s president.  The inauguration ceremony took place at a joint session of both chambers of parliament that took place at the Kokhi Somon Palace Complex in Dushanbe.  In his inaugural speech, Emomali Rahmon, in particular, said that the 2013 presidential election had shown once again unity of the people, stability in society and peace and accord on Tajik soil.  After his address, Emomali Rahmon rode in an open-topped car to the Dousti Square in downtown Dushanbe, where 5,000 soldiers swore an oath of service before a military parade that ended with an artillery salute.

November18                 - A court in Dushanbe’s Ismoili Somoni district ordered the Interior Ministry to pay 14,000 somoni to mother of Bahromiddin Shodiyev, who died after he was arrested on theft-related charges.  The court ruled that the Interior Ministry should pay 8,579.30 somoni for financial losses and 6,000 somoni for moral losses.

November 19                - Tajik government tendered its resignation to President Emomali Rahmon, who was reelected for a fourth consecutive term on November 6.  Under the constitution, all cabinet ministers will continue fulfilling their duties until a new government is formed;

- President Rahmon began to reshuffle the government.  By president’s decree Qodir Qosim was relieved of his post of governor of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) and appointed to head the State Committee on Investments and State-owned Property Management (GosKomInvest), replacing Davlatali Saidov.  Davlatali Saidov was appointed First Deputy Prime, replacing Matloubkhon Davlatov.

November 20                - President Emomali Rahmon issued a decree ordering several ministries and state agencies to merge or share responsibilities;

Longtime defense minister, Sherali Khairulloyev, who occupied that position for more than 18 years, was replaced due to health issues.  His position was filled by Sherali Mirzo, the commander of Tajik Border Forces;

                                    - Ramazon Rahimov was reappointed Tajik Minister of Interiors and Saymumin Yatimov was reappointed the chief of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS).

November 21                - President Emomali Rahmon continued to reshuffle the government.  Gul Sherali was relieved of his post of Minister of Energy and Industry.  Usmonali Usmonov, formerly director of the Unit for Management of Energy Projects, was appointed Minister of Energy and Water Resources.  Shavkat Boboyev, who had previously served as head of the energy and industry department of President’s Executive Office, was appointed Minister of Industry and New Technologies.  Rahmat Bobokalonov was relieved of his post of Minister of Land Reclamation and Water Resources.  Sumangul Taghoyeva, formerly chairwoman of the Committee on Family and Women’s Affairs under the Government of Tajikistan, was appointed Minister of Labor, Migration and Population Employment, replacing Mahmadamin Mahmadaminov.  Shamsiddin Orumbekov, who had previously served as Advisor to the President for Personnel Policy, was appointed Minister of Culture, replacing Mirzoshorukh Asrori;

                                    - Qosim Qosimov was reappointed Minister of Agriculture.  Rustam Mengliyev also remained in the position of Minister of Justice.  Nusratullo Salimov was also reappointed Minister of Health and Social Protection. 

November 22                - General William M. Fraser III, Commander of U.S. Transport Command (USTRANSCOM), visited Tajikistan.  During his visit, General Fraser reportedly met with officials from the Government of Tajikistan and the U.S. Embassy to discuss cross-border security and counternarcotics issues.

November 23                - President Emomali Rahmon dismissed Tajikistan’s longtime Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov and named Qokhir Rasoulzoda, formerly governor of Sughd Province, to replace Oqil Oqilov.  

November 24                - Tajikistan celebrated National Flag Day.

November 25                - Tajikistan has fulfilled its autumn constipation. The autumn conscription campaign is carried out from October 1 through November, and the draft affects able-bodied male citizens in the age bracket of 18 years old to 27 years old who are not members of the armed forces reserve.

November 27                -By president’s decree Sharif Rahimzoda was reappointed Minister of Economic Development and Trade.  Minister of Education Nouriddin Saidov and Chairman of the State Committee on Geodesy Land Management Mahmadtohir Zokirov also remained their posts;    

                                    - Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met here with Mr. Klaus Gerhaeusser, Director-General of Central and West Asia Department of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).  The sides discussed state and prospects of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and the ADB.

November 29                - Sirojiddin Aslov, who had previously served as Tajikistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, was appointed Foreign minister of Tajikistan, replacing Hamrokhon Zaifi;  

                                    - Abdusalom Qurbonov, who was the head of the construction department of the President’s Office, was appointed Finance Minister, replacing Safarali Najmiddinov;

                                    - Khaiyrullo Asoyev, who was the chairman of Roghun hydroelectric power plant (HPP), was appointed Minister of Transport, replacing Nizom Hakimov; 

                                    - Dushanbe hosted an informal ministerial meeting to discuss the drug trafficking challenges.

November 30                - President Emomali Rahmon introduced a number of staff changes at the first meeting of the reshaped government;

                                    - A three-day conference to discuss cooperation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan on drug control kicked off in Dushanbe.