As a sovereign state, Uzbekistan is a secular, unitary, presidential, constitutional republic. Uzbekistan comprises 12 regions (vilayats), Tashkent City and one autonomous republic, Karakalpakstan. The capital and largest city of Uzbekistan is Tashkent. Following the death of Islam Karimov in 2016, independent Uzbekistan's second president Shavkat Mirziyoyev started a new course, which was described as a "A Quiet Revolution" and "Revolution from Above". He stated he intended to abolish cotton slavery, systematic use of child labour, and exit visas, and to introduce a tax reform and create four new free economic zones. He also gave amnesty to some political prisoners. Relations with the neighbouring countries of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan drastically improved. The Amnesty International 2017/18 report on human rights in Uzbekistan found remnant repressive measures or lack of universal rule of law, specific issues being a small minority of labour force in cotton fields being forced labour and restrictions on the movement of 'freed' prisoners. A United Nations report of 2020 found much improvement.