DUSHANBE, November 3, 2009, Asia-Plus — Deputies of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) have considered and endorsed the amnesty bill.
A regular sitting of the sixth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the third convocation, presided over by its speaker, Saydullo Khairulloyev, was held on November 2.
The amnesty bill has been submitted for consideration to the parliament by President Emomali Rahmon.
Presenting the bill, Sherkhon Salimzoda, President’s Representative to the Parliament, noted that the new amnesty applied on female convicts, elderly, minors and sick prisoners, who are serving sentences for minor crimes, as well as veterans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, participants in the cleanup operation at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and foreign citizens. The amnesty excludes those serving sentences for serious crimes such as terrorism and extremism, killing two and more people, recidivists or those who committed crimes in prison.
In all, more than 10,000 people are expected to be granted amnesty, Salimzoda said.
This amnesty law is adopted on occasion of the 15th anniversary of Tajikistan’s Constitution, which is marked on November 6, and Year of Imam Azam in Tajikistan.
We will recall that the last amnesty, which marked the 10th anniversary of the end of the civil war in Tajikistan, was announced in Tajikistan in June 2007. It applied on veterans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and female convicts, elderly, minors and sick prisoners who are serving sentences for minor crimes. The amnesty excluded those serving sentences for serious crimes such as terrorism and extremism, killing two and more people, recidivists or those who committed crimes in prison. 6,731 people were released under the amnesty announced in June 2007.
