The autocratic regime of Rakhmonov and the problems of the Tajik army.
The dictatorial regime of Rakhmonov during the 30 years of its irresponsible rule not only did not solve the social and economic problems of the country, but also failed to create a strong and modern army.
According to the analytical database Global Firepower, the Armed Forces of Tajikistan dropped from 99th position in 2021 to 120th position in 2022 among 145 countries of the world. Among Central Asian countries, the weakest army last year was the Armed Forces of Tajikistan. In 2022, journalists estimated the country’s military personnel at 16 thousand people, and the annual military budget of Tajikistan was estimated at $94 million. For comparison, this year the Kyrgyz army made up about 21 thousand people, and its annual expenses amounted to 116 million dollars.
The main reason why the army is at this level is the lack of funding, as well as corruption in this area (as in all other areas) and nepotism in the selection of leaders of this structure. The low level of wages of officers and employees of the Armed Forces of Tajikistan leads to embezzlement and embezzlement of budget money. And everyone understands that a soldier cannot carry out faithful military service with a half-starved stomach and worn clothes and shoes.
Another hot topic, always provoking a reaction from people on social networks, is the issue of forced recruitment of rebellious youth, or “roundup.”
About 15-16 thousand young men are called up for military service in Tajikistan every year. However, many young people refuse to serve in the armed forces. Because they are well aware of the poor living conditions and stay in the army, and the phenomenon inherited from the Soviet army as “hazing.” A young man drafted into the army does not believe that he will safely return home from military service. Each year, several young people in the army are killed or injured by “hazing.”
When young people refuse to serve in such an army, they are brutally recruited by law enforcement officers in the streets, markets and homes, as if they were arresting a criminal, which is against the law. But Tajikistan’s Armed Forces officials have always denied “roundup” incidents.
Now in Tajikistan, young people can be imprisoned for refusing military service. Recently, in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, a young man was imprisoned for refusing military service.
This is not the first time the authorities have announced that the draft plan for military service has been 100% completed. However, we again see videos on social media where law enforcement officers arrest young people, forcibly push them into a car and take them away for military service, which is a violation of the law.
In 2022, Tajikistan passed a law requiring those who do not want to go to military service to pay money to the state instead. According to the legislation, the amount of this amount is determined by 420 indicators for calculations, and this year amounted to 28,560 somoni.
Can poor families, who make up the bulk of Tajikistan’s population, pay this amount? Of course not!
This law is again in the interests of rich people and the authorities.
The army crisis is part of the economic, political, social, scientific and cultural crisis that has engulfed Tajikistan today, and cannot be solved separately. To fix this, it is necessary to change the dictatorial, autocratic, corrupt, criminal and family system of Rakhmonov.
Political movement “Group 24”
