TAJIK ISLAMIC PARTY TO SUE ELECTION BOARD

Tajikistan’s main opposition party said it plans to sue the Central Asian nation’s elections board amid claims it abetted fraud in this weekend’s parliamentary vote. Preliminary results show the pro-government party won elections by a landslide in a vote that international monitors said was marred by widespread fraud. Islamic Revival Party leader Muhiddin Kabiri said his party won around 30 per cent of the vote, and not 7.7 per cent as claimed by the Central Elections Commission. Top party officials are due to meet to consider how to protest the election results in addition to its planned lawsuit. “We will decide whether to take part in the incoming parliament, or whether to declare a hunger strike or organise a rally,” Kabiri said. International monitors from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe said that while the vote was peaceful, it was marred by ballot-box stuffing and proxy voting.