DUSHANBE, August 18, 2016, Asia-Plus — President Emomali Rahmon has proposed to parliament a mass amnesty law that would apply to 12,000 convicts, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
More than 3,000 inmates are expected to be released from penitentiaries and more than 4,000 people with suspended sentences and sentences not linked to jail terms would be fully amnestied under the proposed legislation.
Besides, the prison terms of more than 5,000 people would be cut and ongoing or pending investigations against them halted.
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, tuberculosis or other serious illnesses, and foreign nationals.
The amnesty will be also extended to prisoners, who were imprisoned for misappropriation and embezzlement of state funds and fraud if they reimburse the losses.
Those convicted of serious crimes such as murder, terrorism, religious extremism, and other similar crimes would not be subject to the amnesty, the president’s website said.
The amnesty will also not apply to women who committed extremism- and terrorism-related crimes.
The amnesty is proposed to honor the 25th anniversary of Tajikistan”s Independence that will be marked on September 9.
A previous amnesty law passed in 2014 applied to 10,000 convicts and the amnesty that was announced in Tajikistan in 2011 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Tajikistan’s Independence granted freedom to 4,300 prisoners, reduced jail sentences for another 5,000 inmates, and dropped the charges against 5,000 accused.
