DUSHANBE, April 1, 2010, Asia-Plus — A new criminal procedure code of Tajikistan has come into effect today.
The new criminal procedure code adopted by the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) on October 14 2009 gives the courts broader powers. Under the code, the courts are responsible for issuing arrest warrants, search warrants, authorizing the seizure of assets and bank accounts and wiretapping. Before that, the prosecutor general performed these functions, which was criticized by experts. Experts said courts, rather than prosecutors, issue arrest warrants elsewhere in the modern world.
The new criminal procedure code that replaced the code adopted in 1961 already consists of 50 chapters and 486 articles.
The Tajik justice minister noted that the new criminal procedure code provided for raising a role of judicial system in protecting constitutional rights of citizens. .
