OSCE welcomes granting of amnesty to detainees in Tajikistan

BUCHAREST, 3 September 2001 (OSCE) - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Mircea Geoana, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, has welcomed the decision by President Rakhmonov and the Parliament of Tajikistan to grant a general amnesty to the benefit of more than 19,000 detainees.

The Chairman-in-Office (CiO) noted with appreciation the humanitarian character of the General Amnesty Law, underlined by the release from prison of the most vulnerable citizens: women, under-aged and elderly people, invalids and persons infected with tuberculosis. The CiO encourages the Tajik Government and the responsible authorities to undertake all efforts to assist the reintegration of these persons into society.

At the same time, the OSCE Chairmanship strongly encourages Tajikistan to continue to pursue all efforts to promote the democratic process and the post conflict rehabilitation process. Such developments require, above all, the observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms and the compliance of Tajikistan commitments to OSCE norms, values and principles.

The CiO emphasized that, while the 10th Anniversary of the Independence of Tajikistan was a good opportunity for such steps, the implementation of human rights principles, which is the core task of the OSCE, should be pursued in a continuous manner.

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For further information contact Josue Anselmo, OSCE Spokesperson, mobile 0664 325 3698, or the Press and Public Information Section of the OSCE Secretariat, tel.: +43-1-514-36-180; fax: +43-1-514-36-105; e-mail: info@osce.org.