DUSHANBE, November 17, 2014, Asia-Plus — More than 3,300 inmates have been freed in Tajikistan under a mass amnesty by November 17, according to the Main
Department for Execution of Criminal Penalties of the Ministry of Justice.
“202 inmates of a women’s penal colony in Norak and 140 juveniles were among those released from penal colonies so far,” an official source at the Main Department for Execution of Criminal Penalties told Asia-Plus in an interview Monday afternoon.
“In all, 3,500 inmates will be freed under the 2014 amnesty and the remaining 200 inmates will be freed in the near future,” the source said noting that jail terms of 2,000 other imprisoned convicts will be reduced.
President Emomali Rahmon proposed the amnesty to mark the 20th anniversary of the adoption of Tajikistan”s post-Soviet constitution on November 6, 1994 and the amnesty law passed by the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower house of parliament) on October 29 applies to 10,000 imprisoned convicts and suspects in pretrial detention facilities.
Prisoners eligible for release reportedly include those who are disabled, World War II veterans, military deserters, convicts over 55, women and minors, those suffering from cancer or other serious illnesses, and foreign nationals. The amnesty is reportedly also apply to participants of political and armed conflicts in Tajikistan.
