Emomali Rahmon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Emomali Rahmon
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| Эмомалӣ Раҳмон | |
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Rahmon in 2025
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| 3rd President of Tajikistan | |
| Assumed office 16 November 1994 |
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| Prime Minister |
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| Preceded by |
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| Leader of the People's Democratic Party | |
| Assumed office 18 March 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Abdulmajid Dostiev |
| Leader of Tajikistan | |
| De facto 20 November 1992 – 16 November 1994 |
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| Prime Minister |
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| Preceded by | Akbarsho Iskandarov (as Acting President) |
| Succeeded by | Himself (as President) |
| 7th Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Tajikistan | |
| In office 20 November 1992 – 16 November 1994 |
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| Preceded by | Akbarsho Iskandarov |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Emomali Sharipovich Rahmonov
5 October 1952 Danghara, Kulob Oblast, Tajik SSR, Soviet Union (now Tajikistan) |
| Political party | People's Democratic (since 1994) |
| Other political affiliations |
CPSU (1990–1991) CPT (1990–1994) |
| Spouse | Azizmo Asadullayeva (m. 1970s) |
| Children | 9, including Ozoda and Rustam |
| Parents | Sharif Rahmonov Mayram Sharifova |
| Alma mater | Tajik State National University |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | |
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| Years of service |
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| Rank |  General of the Army |
Emomali Rahmon (born Emomali Sharipovich Rahmonov on 5 October 1952) is a politician from Tajikistan. He has been the third president of Tajikistan since 1994. Before that, he led the country as Chairman of the Supreme Assembly from 1992 to 1994. Since 1998, he has also been the leader of the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan, which is the main political party in the country's parliament.
Rahmon became well-known in 1992 during the start of the civil war. He was chosen as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet (Parliament) of Tajikistan. This was a way to find a leader that different groups could agree on. Rahmon has won several presidential elections. However, some groups have raised concerns that these elections were not completely fair or open. He has also changed the country's rules through special votes called referendums in 1999 and 2003. Since 2015, he has been given special titles for life, such as "Founder of Peace and National Unity" and "Leader of the Nation." In 2016, another referendum removed limits on how many times a president could be elected, allowing him to stay in power longer.
Rahmon leads Tajikistan with a strong hand. People who disagree with him politically sometimes face difficulties. There are also concerns about how free and fair elections are in the country. Many important government jobs are held by members of his family. For example, his son, Rustam Emomali, is the chairman of the parliament and the mayor of Dushanbe, the capital city.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Emomali Rahmon was born as Emomali Sharipovich Rakhmonov on 5 October 1952. His parents, Sharif Rahmonov and Mayram Sharifova, were farmers in a village called Danghara. His father was a soldier in World War II.
From 1971 to 1974, Rahmon served in the Soviet Union's navy. After his military service, he went back to his village and worked as an electrician. He later became the chairman of a large state farm in Danghara. In 1982, he graduated from the Tajik State National University with a degree in economics.
Start in Politics
In 1990, Rahmon was elected as a representative to the Supreme Soviet of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic. In August 1992, the president at the time, Rahmon Nabiyev, had to step down during the early months of the Civil War. The Speaker of the Supreme Soviet, Akbarsho Iskandrov, became acting president but also resigned later that year.
In November 1992, the Supreme Soviet met and decided that Tajikistan would become a parliamentary republic. Rahmon was then chosen by the members of the Supreme Soviet to be its chairman. This made him both the head of the parliament and the head of the country. Some people believed he was chosen because he seemed like someone who wouldn't cause trouble.
Presidency (1994–Present)
In 1994, Tajikistan created a new set of rules for the country, which brought back the position of president. Rahmon was elected president on 6 November 1994. He officially took office ten days later. During the civil war, which lasted from 1992 to 1997, Rahmon's leadership faced challenges from an opposition group. The war caused many people to lose their lives.
After some changes to the country's rules, he was re-elected on 6 November 1999 for a seven-year term. Official results showed he received a very high percentage of the votes.
On 22 June 2003, a special vote called a referendum took place. This vote allowed him to run for president two more times after his term ended in 2006. Rahmon was re-elected for another seven-year term on 6 November 2006. Official results stated he won with about 79% of the votes, but this election also faced questions about its fairness.
In 2010, a leaked diplomatic message from the United States ambassador in Tajikistan suggested that Rahmon and his family had control over many of the country's main businesses, including its largest bank. On 6 November 2013, he was re-elected again with about 84% of the votes. However, an international group that observed the election said it did not offer "genuine choice and meaningful pluralism" for voters.
In December 2015, a new law was passed in Tajikistan. This law gave Rahmon the special title "Founder of Peace and National Unity – Leader of the Nation." This title also gave him special rights for life. These rights include being immune from being charged with crimes, having the power to stop major government decisions, and being able to speak to the country and parliament whenever he thinks it's important. He can also attend all government and parliament meetings.
On 22 May 2016, another nationwide vote, a referendum, approved several changes to the country's rules. One of the most important changes was removing the limits on how many times Rahmon could be president. This means he can stay in office for as long as he wants. The changes also banned religious political parties and lowered the age requirement for presidential candidates from 35 to 30. This change made it possible for Rahmon's older son, Rustam Emomali, to run for president after 2017. In January 2017, Rustam was appointed Mayor of Dushanbe, the capital city.
In November 2018, Rahmon started a new power station that uses water to create electricity. This was done to help solve energy problems in the country. In October 2020, he was re-elected president for a fifth term. He won with a very high percentage of votes, but there were again claims of unfairness. In July 2021, more than 1,000 Afghan soldiers and civilians crossed into Tajikistan. This happened after Taliban fighters took control of many parts of Afghanistan. In response, Rahmon sent 20,000 reserve soldiers to the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
Religion Policy
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Rahmon is a Sunni Muslim. He often talks about his Muslim background, but his government has also limited public displays of Islamic faith. The government has put rules in place about things like beards, women and children under 18 going to mosques, and people under 40 going on the hajj (a pilgrimage to Mecca). There are also rules about studying in Islamic schools outside Tajikistan and about publishing Islamic books. Using loudspeakers for the call to prayer (adhan) is also restricted, as are veils and certain Islamic schools. Political parties based on Islam are banned. In 2016, the government also banned giving children names that sound Arabic.
Mosques are closely watched by the government. Teaching Islam unofficially can lead to long prison sentences. It is also very difficult to get permission to start an Islamic group or publish an Islamic book. In January 2016, Rahmon went on a smaller pilgrimage to Mecca called an Umrah with some of his children and government officials. This was his fourth time visiting Mecca.
When people questioned the fairness of the 2006 presidential election, Rahmon said, "In Tajikistan, more than 99 percent of those residing here are Muslim. We have a completely different culture. You have to take that into account."
In 2010, during a meeting of Islamic countries in Dushanbe, Rahmon spoke out against using Islam for political reasons. He said that "Terrorism, terrorists, have no nation, no country, no religion... Using the name 'Islamic terrorism' only discredits Islam and and dishonors the pure and harmless religion of Islam."
Being a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir, a group that wants to replace secular governments with an Islamic state, is against the law in Tajikistan. Members can be arrested and put in prison. The Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRP), a political party with Islamic views, was banned in 2015 and is now considered a terrorist organization.
In 2017, the government passed a law that requires people to "stick to traditional national clothes and culture." Many people saw this as an effort to stop women from wearing certain Islamic headscarves that are tied under the chin, which are different from traditional Tajik headscarves tied behind the head.
By 2024, two practices, the Salafi movement (a branch of Sunni Islam) and polygamy (having more than one wife), became popular in Tajikistan, even though the government officially bans both.
Personal Life
Family
Emomali Rahmon is married to Azizmo Asadullayeva. They have nine children. Two of his children, Rustam Emomali and Ozoda Rahmon, hold important positions in his government. Another daughter, Zarina Rahmon, became a deputy head at a bank called Orienbank in January 2017. Many people believe that Rustam is being prepared to take over from his father as president.
Rahmon had a sister who passed away in a hospital in July 2021. Reports from local news said that her sons physically attacked the country's health minister and a senior doctor.
One of his grandchildren reportedly bought a fancy apartment in Dubai when he was only nine years old. This property is now worth over $1.3 million and earns about $55,000 in rent each year.
Name Changes
In March 2007, Rahmonov changed his last name to Rahmon. He removed the Russian-style "-ov" ending. He also removed his middle name, Sharipovich. Rahmon said he did this to show respect for his country's culture. After he did this, many government officials also changed their names to remove Russian-style endings. In April 2016, Tajikistan officially banned giving Russian-style middle names and last names to newborn Tajik children. However, children from minority groups or mixed families can still use their traditional names.
Honours and Awards
- Hero of Tajikistan
- Order of Mubarak the Great (Kuwait)
- Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (Ukraine, 2008)
- Order of the Three Stars (Latvia, 2009)
- Order of Merit of Ukraine (2011)
- Heydar Aliyev Order (Azerbaijan, 2012)
- Order of the President of Turkmenistan (Turkmenistan, 2012)
- Order of the Republic of Serbia (Serbia, 2013)
- Order of Alexander Nevsky (Russia, 2017)
- Order of Parasat (Kazakhstan, 2018)
- Mark of Honour of Heads of State in Central Asia (2021)
- Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" (Russia, 2022)
- Honorary Doctorate in Arts by Cairo University (2022)
- Order of the Golden Eagle (Kazakhstan, 2023)
- Friendship Medal (China, 2024)
See also
In Spanish: Emomali Rahmon para niños
