No Amnesty for Top Opposition Figures
No Amnesty for Top Opposition Figures
A new amnesty, marking the tenth anniversary of the end of the 1992-97 civil war in Tajikistan has disappointed opposition groups hoping to see more of their supporters released.
On June 21, President Imomali Rahmon signed an amnesty law to mark the tenth National Unity Day, which celebrates the 1997 peace deal between the authorities and the opposition.
This is the 11th prisoner amnesty since 1991, with the largest granted in 2001 and 2006, when around 10,000 and 6,500 inmates were released, respectively.
Over 5,000 people will be affected by the latest measure, but the list will not include anyone serving a life-sentence or convicted of terrorism, extremism, treason, calls to overthrow the regime, murder, rape and other similarly grave offences.
The Tajik opposition says this amnesty should have been based more on political than legal considerations, and should have resulted in all participants in the civil war being freed.
The head of the Islamic Rebirth Party, Muhiddin Kabiri, said the tenth anniversary of the peace agreement was the right time to amnesty to “anyone connected in some way either with the civil war or with the peace process”.
“We were certainly expecting the amnesty list to include people who were involved in the civil war. That’s what the families of… rank-and-file men who just carried out their commanders’ orders were hoping,” he said.
Kabiri puts the number of imprisoned opposition combatants at between 200 and 400. He expressed disappointment that this amnesty had proved no different to previous ones.
In a message to President Rahmon in March 2007, Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda, a leading figure of the United Tajik Opposition during the conflict, called for rank-and-file combatants to be released on the tenth anniversary of the peace.
Supporters of Democratic Party chairman Mahmadruzi Iskandarov – an opposition field commander in the war – are hopeful he could be among those released. Iskandarov began serving a 23-year-sentence in 2005 after being found guilty of organising a coup attempt, misappropriating state funds and a number of other crimes.
“We believe the amnesty will include our leader, who contributed to the restoration of peace and stability,” said Rahmatullo Valiev, deputy head of the Democratic Party.
Valiev is hoping other Democratic Party supporters who took part in the war will also be released, and has submitted a list of names to the government.
“We think that these individuals have realised their mistakes, learned their lessons and are ready to start constructive new lives,” he said.
However, Abdugani Mamadazimov, head of the National Association of Political Scientists, says it is unlikely that a significant number of civil war combatants will be released given the gravity of the crimes of which they were convicted. Nor does he believe Iskandarov will be amnestied.
Amnesties specifically for opposition guerrillas were granted in the immediate aftermath of the war - in 1997 and 1999, when around 5,000 were released – but there has not been a similar drive since.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
On June 21, President Imomali Rahmon signed an amnesty law to mark the tenth National Unity Day, which celebrates the 1997 peace deal between the authorities and the opposition.
This is the 11th prisoner amnesty since 1991, with the largest granted in 2001 and 2006, when around 10,000 and 6,500 inmates were released, respectively.
Over 5,000 people will be affected by the latest measure, but the list will not include anyone serving a life-sentence or convicted of terrorism, extremism, treason, calls to overthrow the regime, murder, rape and other similarly grave offences.
The Tajik opposition says this amnesty should have been based more on political than legal considerations, and should have resulted in all participants in the civil war being freed.
The head of the Islamic Rebirth Party, Muhiddin Kabiri, said the tenth anniversary of the peace agreement was the right time to amnesty to “anyone connected in some way either with the civil war or with the peace process”.
“We were certainly expecting the amnesty list to include people who were involved in the civil war. That’s what the families of… rank-and-file men who just carried out their commanders’ orders were hoping,” he said.
Kabiri puts the number of imprisoned opposition combatants at between 200 and 400. He expressed disappointment that this amnesty had proved no different to previous ones.
In a message to President Rahmon in March 2007, Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda, a leading figure of the United Tajik Opposition during the conflict, called for rank-and-file combatants to be released on the tenth anniversary of the peace.
Supporters of Democratic Party chairman Mahmadruzi Iskandarov – an opposition field commander in the war – are hopeful he could be among those released. Iskandarov began serving a 23-year-sentence in 2005 after being found guilty of organising a coup attempt, misappropriating state funds and a number of other crimes.
“We believe the amnesty will include our leader, who contributed to the restoration of peace and stability,” said Rahmatullo Valiev, deputy head of the Democratic Party.
Valiev is hoping other Democratic Party supporters who took part in the war will also be released, and has submitted a list of names to the government.
“We think that these individuals have realised their mistakes, learned their lessons and are ready to start constructive new lives,” he said.
However, Abdugani Mamadazimov, head of the National Association of Political Scientists, says it is unlikely that a significant number of civil war combatants will be released given the gravity of the crimes of which they were convicted. Nor does he believe Iskandarov will be amnestied.
Amnesties specifically for opposition guerrillas were granted in the immediate aftermath of the war - in 1997 and 1999, when around 5,000 were released – but there has not been a similar drive since.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
