Emomali Rahmon secures 5th term as Tajikistan's president

Tajikistan's incumbent Emomali Rahmon, 68, has been reelected in a landslide victory as the president of the Central Asian country.

The Central Electoral Commission said on Monday that 90.9 percent of voters had cast their ballots for Rahmon.

According to the electoral watchdog, the turnout was over 85 percent.

The victory gave Rahmon a fifth term in office after 28 years in power.

Many voters cited Rahmon's success in restoring peace and stability after a bitter civil war as their reason for choosing the incumbent over the other candidates.

The civil war pitted government forces against a diverse opposition including extremist militants.

Rahmon was first elected president in 1994, after the position was reestablished, and reelected in 1999, 2006 and 2013. 

Constitutional changes passed in 2016 allow the "Founder Of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation", as Rahmon is officially known, to run for office an unlimited number of times.

Rights groups allege there has been an intensifying crackdown on opposition, media and civil society since the changes took effect.

ME