Tajikistan: Instability Likely as Presidential Election Draws Near

Growing tensions between the Tajik government and the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan, a prominent opposition party, will test the country's stability as the November presidential election approaches. Asror Bulbulov, one of the party's district leaders, recently called for an end to political operations in Khorog, a city in the Gorno-Badakhshan region. But another party official claimed Aug. 6 that the request was made under duress, alleging that the Tajik security service had coerced Bulbulov.

The Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan is one of the strongest challengers to the re-election of President Emomali Rakhmon. Given the party's Islamist proclivities and its ties to neighboring Afghanistan, tensions between the party and the government will pose major political and security challenges to Rakhmon during and perhaps after the November election.