DUSHANBE, January 16, Asia-Plus  -- A disciplinary battalion will be formed in the Tajik national army within the next few months, Tajik Main Military Prosecutor Yusuf Rahmonov announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on January 15. 

According to him, by decision of military courts servicemen who committed not grave crimes will be sent to the disciplinary units.  

Commenting on this issue, a high-ranking source at the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said that such disciplinary units had existed in the Soviet time.  “Soldiers who committed not grave crimes were sent to the disciplinary battalion, which is not regarded a as prison,” the source said.

It is a special military unit with tougher regulations and convicts might not be held in the disciplinary unit longer than two years.  The term served in the disciplinary was not included in the term of the military service, and convicts returned to their military units to continue their military service. 

“Most likely, this practice will be used in Tajik disciplinary units as well,” the MoD source said, noting that at present because of lack of disciplinary units servicemen are sentenced to imprisonment even for inconsiderable disciplinary cases.  Now for desertion and bullying fellow conscripts servicemen will be sent to the disciplinary units.