TAJIKISTAN DEATH PENALTY COULD SOON BE SUSPENDED

President Imomali Rakhmonov (pictured on homepage) made the surprise announcement during a speech to parliament, but did not say when the moratorium would come into effect or how long it would be enforced.
Tajikistan carries out the death penalty by firing squad. So far this year two people have been sentenced to death when on February 19 the Khatlon regional sentenced O. Alimardonov and K. Laqayev to death for murder. The two men were found guilty of killing U. Safarov in the southern district of Qabodiyon. They allegedly killed him and then burnt his body on 21 November 2001.In June 2003 Tajikistan´s lower Parliament abolished the death penalty for women and minors. The number of crimes eligible for the death penalty were also reduced from 15 to five, these include: premeditated murder of two or more people, rape, terrorist acts, genocide, and crimes involving chemical, nuclear or biological weapons.