DUSHANBE, February 16, 2011, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan’s lower chamber (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament has ratified the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) antiterrorism convention.
A regular sitting of the second session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the fourth convocation, presided over by its speaker, Shukurjon Zuhurov, was held on February 16.
Presenting the convention, Saidmumin Yatimov, head of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), noted that the convention reflected changes in the content, scale and nature of terrorism in the modern world and the need for new international legal tools to counter terrorism.
“The convention expands and develops the June 2001 SCO convention on fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism and takes into account legislative peculiarities of the SCO member nations,” the SCNS head said.
The convention offers a wider socio-political definition of terrorism as ideology of violence. It also features provisions regulating the SCO countries’ cooperation in the sequestration and seizure of property that’s been used in committing crimes or funding such crimes.
The Majlisi Namoyandagon also ratified an agreement on training of personnel for antiterrorist units of the SCO member nations.
The SCNS head noted that personnel for the antiterrorist units would be trained by competent bodies of the sides under support and coordination from the executive committee of the SCO Regional Antiterrorism Structure. “The agreement is aimed at raising the level of individual special training, promoting experience sharing among the antiterrorist units, and improving practical skills in combating terrorism,” Yatimov said.
The Majlisi Namoyandagon also endorsed the draft law on combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
