DUSHANBE, February 21, 2012, Asia-Plus /Victoria Naumova/ — On February 16, the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan and the public organization League of Women Lawyers signed an agreement on “Involvement of Government and Society to abolish Death Penalty in Tajikistan” in the frame of the Human Rights Program, the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan reports.
The project reportedly aims at: a) carrying out information campaigns in the regions on abolition of death penalty through mass media; b) raising broader awareness on the issue among all segments of the population in 12 districts of the country; and c) involving government (Working Group), legislative and law enforcement bodies, Ombudsman office, and local religious leaders in the process through round-tables and discussions.
The project will last for eight months.
As a follow up to the recommendations of the International Conference “Central Asia Free of Death Penalty” which was held in Dushanbe on May 18, 2011, the League of Women Lawyers launched its website “Abolition of Death Penalty in the Republic of Tajikistan,” which was also funded by the Swiss Human Rights Program. The website (www.deathpenaltyabolition.tj) is a platform for raising awareness on this issue, for information sharing and for strengthening the abolitionist movement.
Tajikistan adopted a moratorium on death penalty in 2004, but constitutional changes still remain a sensitive issue among the government bodies as well as among the population.
