DUSHANBE, July 29, 2011, Asia-Plus -- A special commission has been set up in Tajikistan for study and implementation of the amnesty law.

In an appearance on the television, Minister of Justice Bakhtiyor Khudoyorov noted on July 28 that the commission members include representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Interior and Defense, State Committee for National Security, National Guards as well as counternarcotics agency, anticorruption agency and courts.

The commission is reportedly tasked to find out any shortcomings and remove them within a month.  “The commission should report to the president on the results of its work within three months,” the minister said.

We will recall that President Emomali Rahmon on July 27 sent a proposal to parliament that would grant an amnesty for some 15,000 prisoners.  The proposed amnesty was submitted to the lower chamber (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament to mark the 20th anniversary of Tajikistan''s declaration of independence, which is on September 9.

The 2011 amnesty will apply on female convicts, elderly, minors and sick prisoners, who were serving sentences for minor crimes, as well as veterans of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, participants in the cleanup operation at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and holders of decorations of the Soviet Union and Tajikistan.

People sentenced for economic crimes may be released if they have repaid the financial losses they caused.

The amnesty will also apply on members of political parties, public associations and illegal religious organizations who were sentenced to five years in prison as well as persons who were sentenced to more than five years in prison and have served two thirds of their terms.

The amnesty also applies on militants who fought government troops in 1997 in Khatlon province, Dushanbe, Hisor, Shahrinav and Tursunzoda as well as armed clash of 1998 in Sughd province if they have served half their sentences.

The amnesty excludes those serving sentences for serious crimes such as terrorism and extremism, killing two and more people, recidivists or those who committed crimes in prison.

In all, more than 15,000 people are expected to fall under the 2011 amnesty and more than 4,000 prison inmates will be released, while others may have their prison terms cut or their suspended sentences annulled.

Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reports that according to unofficial estimates, there are currently 13,000 people imprisoned in Tajikistan.  There have been 11 amnesties in Tajikistan over the past 20 years.  Under the most recent, in November 2009, some 10,000 prisoners were released.