Although four opposition parties were legalized and a ban on religion-based parties was lifted in 1999, the government has sought to stop or limit the activities of certain other political parties, including the Agrarian Party and the National Unity Party. Despite legal rights to form and join trade unions, in practice labor rights are largely ignored. The judiciary enjoys little independence from the executive branch, on which most judges depend for their positions. Many judges are poorly trained and inexperienced, and bribery is reportedly widespread. Local and international observers at the trial of the murderers of four United Nations Mission to Tajikistan personnel in July 1998 recounted torture of the accused and flagrant violations of basic legal principles.
Police routinely conduct arbitrary searches and seizures and beat detainees to obtain confessions.
Prison conditions have been described as life-threatening due to overcrowding and unsanitary conditions. High levels of criminal and political violence and lawlessness continue to directly or indirectly affect the personal security of most citizens. Among the year s high-profile assassinations were those of former Deputy Procurator General Tolib Boboev and Socialist Party Chairman Safarali Kenjaev. The government generally respects the right of its citizens to choose a place of residence and to travel. However, checkpoints manned by interior ministry troops and other armed units have extorted money from drivers and passengers, limiting their freedom of movement.