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handle is hein.crs/govccyq0001 and id is 1 raw text is: FF. ' -iE ,E .$r . i , p\w -- , gnom go mppm qq\ , q I as 11LIANJILiN, Updated December 1, 2017 Tajikistan Source: Map by Hannah Fischer, CRS. Government. Tajikistan is a presidential republic. The executive branch wields significant influence over the legislative and judicial branches. Officially, the president is limited to two seven-year terms in office; however, President Emomali Rahmon has been reelected four times, most recently in 2013 with 84% of the vote. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) reported significant shortcomings and noted a lack of pluralism in the 2013 presidential and 2015 parliamentary elections. The government's actions toward the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), the country's leading opposition party, are a source of international criticism. In late 2015, the Supreme Court of Tajikistan banned the party and prohibited its media activities in the country. Tajikistan's government has described these actions as an attempt to eliminate extremism and terrorism in the country. The U.S. State Department, on the other hand, has characterized the government's crackdown as steps to eliminate political opposition. In May 2016, Tajikistan adopted 41 constitutional amendments by referendum. Many of the amendments broadened President Rahmon's powers and, according to some observers, further consolidated his control over the state. History. The Tajiks are a Central Asian people who speak several Persian dialects. Historically, Tajiks have lived in an area spanning from Iran to western China. Tajikistan was ruled by Tsarist Russia and then the Soviet Union until the U.S.S.R. collapsed in early 1990. In 1992, a civil war broke out in Tajikistan pitting a loose coalition of nationalist, Islamic, and democratic groups against the central government, which was backed by Russia and Uzbekistan. Under a U.N.-brokered peace deal, the government retained control and hostilities ceased in 1997. Tajikistan remains a close Russian ally, and it receives Russian military and counternarcotics assistance. Human Rights. In its 2016 Human Rights Report, the State Department describes Tajikistan as an authoritarian state with significant human rights problems. The report cites media censorship, religious intolerance, and the persecution of political opponents as issues of particular concern. Activists and human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Freedom House claim that the Tajik government violates its human rights obligations and commits egregious acts of torture and ill-treatment. In February 2016, Human Rights Watch and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee called on the United States and the E.U. to speak out against Tajikistan's deteriorating human rights situation. The Tajik government, however, continues to use its powers to crack down on its political opponents, and recent Constitutional amendments give the state even greater authority to persecute dissidents. In June 2016, two IRPT leaders, Mahmadali Hayit and Saidumar Khusaini, were sentenced to life in prison, and in November 2016, insulting President Rahmon was made a criminal offense. Tajikistan at a Glance Land area 139,960 sq. km. (about the size of North Carolina) Geography: Heavily mountainous, with abundant water resources and upstream control of two of Central Asia's key river systems Population (2016):8.73 million GDP (201i6): $6.95 billion, per capita GN is $3,500 at PPP Ethnicities (2o10): 84% tajik 14% Uzbek, other 2% Religions (2003): Sunni Musim 8S%, Shia Muslim 5%, other [0% Political Leaders: president Emomali RANMON (head of state since 1992), Prime Minister Qohir RASUtZODA (since November 2013) Data fro w World Batk Key Sectors. Tajikistan is a poor, mountainous country with an economy dependent on metal and raw mineral exports and remittances from migrant workers. Tajikistan's main natural resources include gold, silver, coal, and hydropower. Its coal deposits, if fully exploited, could reportedly satisfy domestic energy needs. In its 2017 economic report, The World Bank argued that Tajikistan must prioritize job creation in order to achieve its developmental objectives and reduce poverty. Hydropower. Tajikistan produces a small fraction of the natural gas and oil produced by its hydrocarbon-rich neighbors Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. However, with 1,300 freshwater lakes and 28,500 kilometers of rivers, Tajikistan is positioned to become a regional leader in '.0 K~:>

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