DUSHANBE, February 12, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Tajik Majlisi Namoyandagon (lower house of Tajik parliament) speaker Shukurjon Zuhurov received visiting UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Mr. Juan E. Mendez, Tuesday afternoon.

Muhammadato Sultonov, a spokesman for the Majlisi Namoyandagon, says Shukurjon Zuhurov informed the UN Special Rapporteur of law adopted by Tajik parliament to counter torture.

“Zuhurov, in particular, noted that amendments made to the country’s legislation made torture a punishable offence,” said Sultonov.  “Majlisi Namoyandagon speaker said that in our country even psychological pressure is equated to torture.”

“For his part, Mr. Mendez noted that the United Nations would always help our country eliminate torture in Tajik society,” the spokesman noted.