Amnesty says Tajik authorities remain reluctant to intervene in cases of domestic violence, even though up to half of women in the largely Muslim nation are regularly subjected to psychological or sexual violence by their husbands or relatives.

The international rights watchdog said Tajikistan's failure to deal with the issue "has resulted in perpetrators of domestic violence enjoying virtual impunity."

Amnesty said some of the major factors behind the prevalence of violence against women included unregistered, polygamous and early marriages, which increase wives' dependency on their husbands.

"Young and uneducated girls are at a premium as prospective brides, because their lack of experience is thought to make them more compliant," the report said.

Widespread lack of education for girls has been precipitated by increased early dropout rates, according to Amnesty. "The state is failing to ensure that girls get an adequate education, which contributes to the overall picture of violence and discrimination against women in Tajikistan," the report said.

Amnesty expert Andrea Strasser-Camagni said inaction by Tajik authorities reflects a societal view that women are commonly to blame for domestic violence.

"They see their primary role as mediator, to preserve the family rather than protect the woman and to safeguard their rights," Strasser-Camagni said in a statement.

The report also expressed concern about how mass migration by male laborers is leaving unattached women, who are viewed as a financial burden on the family, vulnerable to forced marriages.

Often, women have no legal means to enforce their marital rights because traditional Islamic marriages are not recognized by the authorities, Amnesty said. "If the marriage is ... unregistered, the wife subsequently faces great difficulties in claiming her rights to housing, property or alimony," it said.

Amnesty also cited research by non-governmental organizations showing violence appeared to have contributed to a sharp rise in suicide rates in some parts of the country. "Domestic violence is often the first reason given for committing suicide," Amnesty said.

Tajikistan, which shares a border with Afghanistan, has been mired in debilitating poverty since a civil war between a hard-line secular government and mostly Islamic opposition in the mid-1990s killed an estimated 100,000 people and left its economy in shambles.