KHUJAND, October 4, 2008, Asia-Plus — To prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment during interrogations youth in northern Tajikistan are going to promote development of fair legal proceedings through strengthening of the institution of assessors in court, Sheroz Sharipov, information specialist with the Khujand-based public institute Youth and Civilization, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
According to him, the project, formally titled Participation of People in Prevention of Tortures, will be implemented by the public association Rural Development Initiative in partnership with the Youth and Civilization under financial support of the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (IEDHR).
The project provides for holding events to raise legal awareness and improve skills of assessors on revealing cases of torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment during investigations and develop the institution of assessors as full members of judicial system.
The final phase of the project includes establishment of the Association of Assessors of the Sughd Province that will promote active participation of assessors in consideration of criminal proceedings.
According to the project team, improvement of image of will help development of fair legal proceedings.
“The project is implemented within the framework of the upcoming judicial and legal reforms in the country and aimed at promoting judicial reforms and democratization of legal proceedings,” Sharipov said.
He added that there are 2,141 assessors in northern Tajikistan; 500 of them are in Khujand. Among them are physicians, teachers, engineers, heads of different organizations and enterprises. Assessors in court are usually appointed for five years.
