DUSHANBE, October 14, 2014, Asia-Plus – An amnesty is expected to be announced in Tajikistan on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Tajikistan’s Constitution.
“On the instruction of the president the President’s Executive Office jointly with representatives of the law enforcement agencies is working out a draft law on amnesty,” an official source at one of the country’s law enforcement agencies told Asia-Plus in an interview.
The draft law will be submitted for consideration to Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament at the end of October, the source added.
There have been thirteen amnesties in Tajikistan since 1991. Under the most recent, in July 2011, more than 4,300 prisoners, including 196 women and 153 minors, were released and some 5,000 prisoners had their jail terms reduced. The 2011 amnesty, announced on the occasion of Tajikistan’s 20th Independence Anniversary, also extended to more than 5,000 people awaiting legal proceedings in pretrial detention.
Prisoners eligible for release under the 2011 amnesty included people with disabilities, World War II veterans, military deserters, convicts over 55, and those suffering from cancer or other serious illnesses. The 2011 amnesty also extended to members of banned Islamic groups and political parties who were imprisoned for up to five years or have served three-quarters of their terms — except for those found guilty of murder, terrorism, or other serious crimes.
Under the previous amnesty that was declared in November 2009, some 10,000 prisoners were released.
According to the statistical data from the Ministry of Justices, more than 10,000 people are currently serving their jail terms in 17 penitentiary institutions in Tajikistan.
