Tajikistan: Heading for a new dynasty

Tajikistan | 14 March 2016

According to a report by Radio Free Europe on 10 February 2016, developments in Tajikistan are taking a turn for the remarkable. In December 2015 a bill endorsed by parliament gave 63-year-old Emomali Rahmon, who has ruled Tajikistan since 1992, the title "leader of the nation" and granted him and his relatives lifelong immunity from prosecution. Next, work began on constitutional amendments that would enable president Rahmon to establish a presidential dynasty. The Tajik Constitutional Court ruled that changes to the country's constitution which would allow the president to run an indefinite number of times were legal. This decision justified members in the lower house of parliament unanimously approving a referendum. The Tajik population can decide on 22 May 2016 if they agree with the changes in the constitution. Rolf Zeegers, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, has no doubt whatsoever that the population of Tajikistan will accept the establishment of the Rahmon dynasty: "They want security in these times of great uncertainty. Their income has gone down as a result of the crisis in Russia - practically every family in Tajikistan depends on remittances from guest workers in Russia. Another destabilizing issue is the proximity of Afghanistan and the activities of Muslim radicals there. (The Taliban seem to have become more active in the north of Afghanistan). In politics, the Tajik government has removed all opposition from areas of influence - the most remarkable move was the prohibition of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan in 2015. There are hundreds of Tajik citizens fighting with Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. The country is losing its military protection as Russia is withdrawing soldiers from Tajikistan. All these factors create uneasiness among the population." But Rolf Zeegers believes that the establishment of the Rahmon dynasty in Tajikistan will have only limited effect on the Church: "There are already many restrictions on the freedom of religion in Tajikistan, imposed by the current regime. The main goal of the government is to stabilize society and combat all threats to it. As such, it can be expected that the regime will pay much more attention to radical Islam. But when Christians endanger stability by carrying out evangelism, this will be tackled harshly as well." ‚