President of Tajikistan of his support for the August Coup of 1991 in Moscow and the resulting street demonstrations in Dushanbe. From 1991 to 1992 the post of the president changed hands several times due to the political changes and uncertainty following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and ensuing social unrest and violence in the Tajikistan Civil War. Since 1994, Emomali Rahmonov has held the position of the presidency. The presidential elections were last held in 2013. Presidential elections in Tajikistan have consistently been criticized by international observers as unfair and favoring the ruling party. The President of the Republic of Tajikistan
Emblem of Tajikistan Emblem of Tajikistan The State Emblem of Tajikistan is a modified version of the original emblem of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic that was in use until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Prior to the Russian Revolution, the territory of Turkestan, of which Tajikistan was part, used the device of a black unicorn on a golden shield, blazoned "or, a unicorn passant sable." However, Tajikistan itself had no symbol. Until 1992, Tajikistan had a emblem similar to all other Soviet Republics. The first emblem of independent Tajikistan from 1992-1993 was the Lion and Sun symbol, which was