DUSHANBE, October 28, 2009, Asia-Plus — The Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) has decided to defer consideration of 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, has opened today morning.
Opening the sitting, Khairulloyev suggested that consideration of the draft law “On the Amnesty” should be deferred till November 2. According to him, the lower house’s committees and commissions will thoroughly study the bill.
The amnesty bill has been submitted for consideration to the parliament by President Emomali Rahmon.
As it had been reported earlier, the new amnesty is expected to be announced in the country on occasion of the 15th anniversary of Tajikistan’s Constitution, which is marked on November 6, and Year of Imam Azam in Tajikistan. In all, more than 10,000 people are expected to be granted amnesty, according to him.
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.
In the meantime, the Majlisi Namoyandagon deputies will consider today bills requiring addenda and changes to the country’s laws on the government, local authorities, environmental protection, and road traffic as well as the water code of Tajikistan.
