DUSHANBE, June 20, Asia-Plus — The lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of the Tajik parliament has endorsed an amnesty bill. Mahmad Rahimov, the deputy head of the Majlisi Namoyandagon Committee on Constitution, Legislation and Human Rights, presenting the bill initiated by President Emomali Rahmon on occasion of a National Accord Day, which is marked on June27, noted that the bill demonstrates one again that “human rights and freedoms are recognized by the country’s Constitution as highest values.”
A regular sitting of the third session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the third convocation, presided over by its chairman, Saydullo Khairulloyev, was held on June 20.
After a comprehensive discussion, the deputies of the Majlisi Namoyandagon unanimously approved the amnesty law.
Under the law, the amnesty applies to veterans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, women, minors, men above 55, as well as sick prisoners who are serving sentences for minor crimes, and combatants in the 1992-1997civil war.
The amnesty does not apply to persons serving sentences for serious crime or for killing two and more people, recidivists or those who committed crimes in prisons, as well as persons convicted on charges of human trafficking, recruiting people for exploitation, rape, banditry, organizing a criminal group, hostage taking, incitement of ethnic, racial, regional and religious enmity, theft, drug trafficking, trafficking in weapons, robbery, embezzlement of state funds and loans, public calls for overthrowing the country’s constitutional system, high treason, organizing an extremist group, bribery, espionage, office abuse, etc.
In all, the amnesty does not apply on persons convicted on charges under 68 articles of Tajikistan’s Criminal Code, which consists of 405 articles.
We will recall that in an open letter to Tajik President Emomali Rahmon published on March 12, one of former United Tajik Opposition (UTO) leaders and current member of the upper house of the Tajik parliament Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda called for a presidential pardon for all combatants in the 1992-97 civil war. According to him, a pardon would be a human step that would help unite society.
According to Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, in a series of five presidential amnesties issued since the end of the civil war, more than 20,000 combatants have been released from prison.
