In the modern world, alongside other dangerous phenomena such as terrorism, extremism, and illicit drug trafficking, one of the most acute and pressing problems is corruption. Corruption and other corruption-related acts hinder economic development, the welfare of the population, the realization of human and civil rights and freedoms, as well as stability and peace in any state, creating the greatest threat — public distrust in state authorities.
In modern conditions, corruption has transformed from a domestic issue into an international one. Research shows that this negative phenomenon has deep historical roots and emerged simultaneously with the formation of states. It should be noted that corruption, along with other global threats, has become one of the major global problems, negatively affecting economic and social processes in society as well as the worldview of humanity.
Corruption, described as the “plague of the century,” is recognized as one of the priority problems of the international community, and issues of combating it have always been considered by international organizations, especially the United Nations (UN), as one of the primary tasks.
In order to prevent crimes and actively combat corruption-related activities, the United Nations Convention against Corruption was adopted on 31 October 2003. On 9 December 2003, a High-Level Political Conference was held in Mérida, Mexico, with the participation of representatives from more than 100 countries to promote accession to the Convention. Thus, 9 December was established as the International Anti-Corruption Day.
The Republic of Tajikistan signed this Convention on 25 September 2006, and it was ratified by the Majlisi Namoyandagon (lower house of parliament) on 16 April 2008. Furthermore, in order to unite state efforts in combating corruption, ensure direct counteraction, and involve civil society, the private sector, and international organizations in this process, the specialized body — the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption — was established by Presidential Decree of the Republic of Tajikistan on 10 January 2007.
The main tasks of the Agency include state financial control, prevention, detection, and suppression of corruption offenses, preliminary investigation and examination of corruption crimes, and implementation of a set of measures of state anti-corruption policy.
As is known, the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption carries out activities to protect the rights, freedoms, and legitimate interests of citizens and society from corruption, to detect and eliminate corruption offenses, to expand preventive measures, and to strengthen cooperation with civil society and international organizations. This process continues today with the introduction of new initiatives.
The fight against corruption is a collective task and should not be assigned solely to authorized state bodies. The country’s leadership has repeatedly emphasized the need for active counteraction to this negative phenomenon. Therefore, in order to prevent corruption, create a zero-tolerance environment, and involve all state bodies, the media, and civil society institutions, all stakeholders must take appropriate measures.
It should be noted that the Republic of Tajikistan, since gaining independence and thanks to the constructive initiatives of the Founder of Peace and National Unity — the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon — has taken decisive steps in combating corruption by establishing the necessary organizational and legal framework to counter this “plague of the century.”
In order to strengthen anti-corruption policy and the legal and institutional framework, relevant normative acts have been adopted. In particular, the fight against this negative phenomenon was first regulated by the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan “On Combating Corruption” dated 25 July 2005 No. 100. Later, with the establishment of the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption and the adoption of the Law “On the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption of the Republic of Tajikistan” dated 20 March 2008 No. 374, as well as the Law “On Combating Corruption” dated 7 August 2020 No. 1714, the anti-corruption environment and legal framework of the country were significantly strengthened.
In this regard, other state documents were also successively adopted, such as the “Anti-Corruption Strategy of the Republic of Tajikistan for 2008–2012” dated 26 January 2008 No. 34; the “Anti-Corruption Strategy of the Republic of Tajikistan for 2013–2020” dated 30 August 2013 No. 1504; and the “State Anti-Corruption Strategy of the Republic of Tajikistan for the period up to 2030” dated 3 August 2021 No. 222. These documents created real legal conditions for active anti-corruption efforts and for reducing its level in the country.
It should be noted that the implementation of measures within these strategies is internationally recognized as evidence of the formation of a state anti-corruption policy and a guarantee of achieving results in this field. The implementation of these action plans has strengthened transparency in public administration, introduced preventive restrictions in the civil service, established accountability for all corruption-related actions, and created a solid basis for detecting and preventing such offenses. In particular, in order to coordinate the activities of state bodies and civil society in this area, the National Anti-Corruption Council and public commissions for corruption prevention have been established in regions, cities, and districts.
It should be emphasized that all state bodies and the population must continuously fight corruption-related actions, follow the directives of the President set out in official addresses, and strive for a dignified life based on honesty and integrity.
At the same time, in order to effectively implement the President of the Republic of Tajikistan’s instructions to increase public trust in state institutions and enhance the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts, it is necessary to ensure broad involvement of civil society and every citizen in this process.
