DUSHANBE, March 14, Asia-Plus  - Tajikistan, with a population of approximately seven million, is an authoritarian state; political life is dominated by President Emomali Rahmon and an inner circle of loyal supporters, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices-2007, released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor on March 11, 2008, said.

While the country has a constitution and a multiparty political system, in practice democratic progress was slow and political pluralism limited. The November 2006 presidential election lacked genuine competition and did not fully test democratic practices or meet international standards, although there were some improvements on voting procedures. During the year the ruling People''s Democratic Party of Tajikistan (PDPT) dominated by-elections for national parliament seats. The civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces.

The government''s human rights record remained poor and corruption continued to hamper democratic and social reform. The following human rights problems were reported: restricted right of citizens to change their government; torture and abuse of detainees and other persons by security forces; threats and abuse by security forces; impunity of security forces; lengthy pretrial detention; lack of access to prisoners by family members and lawyers; confessions obtained by torture accepted as evidence in trials; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; prohibited international monitor access to prisons; extralegal extradition of prisoners from third countries with apparent government complicity; restricted freedom of speech, the press and media; restricted freedom of association; restrictions on freedom of religion, including freedom to worship; imprisonment of political opposition, including journalists; harassment of international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); difficulties with registration and visas; violence and discrimination against women; trafficking in persons; and child labor.