DUSHANBE, February 11, 2014, Asia-Plus — On Monday February 10, Tajik Interior Minister Ramazon Rahimov received visiting UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Mr. Juan E. Mendez.
According to the Interior Ministry’s website, the sides discussed issues related to prevention of torture and the results of the work carried out by the Tajik law enforcement authorities in this direction.
In the course of the talks, Tajik minister reportedly noted that Tajikistan’s Penal Code was amended in April 2012 to include Article 143` criminalizing torture, with a definition of torture in line with Article 1 of the Convention against Torture, making torture a punishable offence with a possible sanction of up to fifteen years in prison.
The Interior Ministry will hold a scientific-practical conference entitled “Protection of Participants in Criminal Proceedings as One of the Key Principles of Ensuring Human Rights” in Dushanbe next month, Rahimov said.
Rahimov also noted that control over activities of personnel had been tightened.
For his part, the UN Special Rapporteur reportedly displayed interest in amendments made to the country’s penal code. He also said that representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office and civil society should pay sudden visits to detention centers, the website notes.
Rahimov reportedly accepted this proposal.
