Prosecutor-General Accuses Islamic Renaissance Party

Tajikistan's Prosecutor-General's Office has accused members of the opposition Islamic Renaissance Party of involvement in crimes connected to extremism and terrorism.

The statement on August 30 gave no indication of what next steps the authorities might take against the party, which is currently the only legal Islamist party in Central Asia.

In an interview with RFE/RL, the party's deputy chairman, member of parliament Sayidumar Husaini, denounced the prosecutor's claims as part of a campaign aimed at shutting down the party.

The Islamic Renaissance Party rose to prominence in the 1990s.

It was allied with the United Tajik Opposition against the government during the Tajik Civil War from 1992 to 1997.

Based on reporting by khovar.tj and RFE/RL's Tajik Service