Tajik President To Pardon Thousands Of Convicted Criminals
Tajik leader Emomali Rahmon
November 05, 2009
DUSHANBE -- Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has signed a decree that will grant amnesty to an estimated 10,000 prisoners, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.
A Tajik Presidential Press Service spokespeson told journalists that the amnesty will pardon mainly convicts who were under 18 years when they committed their crimes, men and women over 55, and foreign nationals.
The amnesty was announced on the eve of Constitution Day, marked in Tajikistan on November 6. It is not clear if the action will free those considered to be political prisoners or people convicted of religious extremism.
A presidential press service spokesman said a special commission is reviewing all the cases to decide which prisoners will be granted an amnesty.
The press service did not say when it expected the prisoners to be freed from prison.