Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic along a waterway. After Stalin's death in March 1953, Stalinabad, was renamed to "Dushanbe" on 10 November 1961 as part of the De-Stalinization program. In February 1990, tensions between the Tajiks and Armenians squared off in the republic's capital Dushanbe. 26 people died and 565 more were injured and the Soviet troops put down the riots. Both Yaqub Salimov, the Interior Minister and the youth activists were convicted for the participation in the riots. Later on 24 August 1990, Tajik SSR declared its sovereignty over Soviet laws. By 1991, Tajikistan participated in a referendum in March as part of the
Anthem of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic independence was declared, its melody was still used until 1996. Except, there were no lyrics in the new version. Anthem of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic The "State Anthem of the Turkmen SSR" was adopted in 1946 and used until 1991 by the Turkmen SSR. When Turkmenistan became an independent state in 1991, it was retained until 1996 with no lyrics (the Soviet-era lyrics were discontinued). It was used from 1946 to 1996. The music was composed by Veli Mukhatov, who also composed the current national anthem of Turkmenistan; and the lyrics were written by Aman Kekilov and a group