Corruption in Tajikistan is a widespread phenomenon that is found in all spheres of Tajik society. The situation is essentially similar to that in the other former Soviet republics of Central Asia. Reliable specifics about corruption can be difficult to come by, however, as can hard information about the effectiveness of supposed anti-corruption initiatives.[1]
Corruption, according to a 2015 article in The Diplomat, is present in every aspect of Tajikistan's culture. Examples include students paying bribes for better grades, bribes for the release of prisoners, and “smugglers tipping border guards to look the other way” as well as many others.[1][2] Freedom House said much the same thing in 2016, calling corruption a problem affecting every aspect of Tajik society.[3]
According to Transparency International, citizens of Tajikistan consider government bureaucrats and services to be the most corrupt institutions, with police, customs, and tax-collection authorities at the top of the list, followed by college and hospital administrators.[1] In a 2010 survey, Tajikistanis said they were most likely to be confronted with bribery during dealings with the traffic police (53.6%), followed closely by land purchases (53.3%) and dealings with universities (45.4%). Almost two-thirds believed that the level of corruption in the country was high and unlikely to change soon; about half thought that most officials take bribes; and about half viewed corruption negatively.[4]
- ^ a b c "Overview of corruption and anti-corruption in Tajikistan" (PDF). Transparency International.
- ^ Putz, Catherine (15 June 2015). "Nepotism: Not the Kind of Corruption Tajikistan is Looking For". The Diplomat.
- ^ "Tajikistan" (PDF). Freedom House.
- ^ "Corruption in Tajikistan: Public Opinion. 2010". United Nations Development Programme.