DUSHANBE, June 19, Asia-Plus - President Emomali Rahmon today submitted to Tajikistan’s lower chamber (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament a bill declaring amnesty on occasion of the 10th anniversary of a National Accord Day, which is marked in Tajikistan on June 27, presidential press service said.  

We will recall that the previous amnesty dedicated to the 15th anniversary of Tajikistan’s Independence Day was declared in Tajikistan in August 2006.  The implementation of an Independence Day Amnesty has halved the country’s prison population.  A total of 6,731 inmates have been released, while 4,508 have been granted partial amnesty (they had their sentences reduced). 

An August 2006 amnesty applied to veterans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and elderly, young and sick prisoners who are serving sentences for minor crimes. The amnesty does not apply to persons serving sentences for serious crime or for killing two and more people, recidivists or those who committed crimes in prisons.