DUSHANBE, November 19, 2015, Asia-Plus -- Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament is reportedly drafting amendments to the country’s law on the state fingerprint registration under which fingerprints may be required for buying a cell phone or a SIM card.

According to Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service , Jourakhon Majidzoda, the head of the Majlisi Namoyandagon Committee on Security and Law and Order, said that they are working out the amendments “taking into consideration the current situation and for the purpose of providing assistance to the law enforcement agencies in the fight against crime.”

If the amendments are endorsed, each citizen of Tajikistan reaching the age of 16 will have to undergo fingerprint when getting a passport, a driving license or any other identification document, Majidzoda told RFE/RL’s Tajik Service .

Database of fingerprints for getting passport will be kept in the Interior Ministry. 

Under these amendments, only those who will undergo fingerprint will be permitted to acquire SIM cards, electronic communication devices, in particular cell phones.