Answer
Authoritarian regimes, as exemplified by Uzbekistan under Karimov's rule, are characterized by a lack of political pluralism and limited civil liberties. Power is concentrated in the hands of a single individual or a small elite group, with limited checks and balances on their authority. These regimes often suppress dissent and restrict freedom of expression, assembly, and association, maintaining control through various means, including surveillance, censorship, and suppression of opposition.