Tajik parliament adopts law on mass amnesty
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 24 August 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Tajik parliament adopts law on mass amnesty, 24 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57db9a4111.html [accessed 21 October 2022] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
August 24, 2016
By RFE/RL's Tajik Service
Tajikistan's parliament has adopted a new law on amnesty proposed by President Emomali Rahmon last week.
According to the law, adopted on August 24 by parliament's lower house, the amnesty will affect more than 12,000 people.
More than 3,000 inmates will be released from prison and more than 4,000 people with suspended sentences will be pardoned under the new legislation. The prison terms of more than 5,000 people will also be shortened.
Those convicted of serious crimes such as murder, terrorism, religious extremism, and other serious crimes are not subject to the amnesty.
The amnesty was proposed to honor the 25th anniversary of Tajikistan's independence from the Soviet Union, which will be marked on September 9.
International watchdogs and rights activists have criticized the Tajik government for using antiterrorism laws to crack down on dissent in the country.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
