Tajik parliament passes law repealing immunity of prosecutors and investigators

The lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) has endorsed the bill requiring amendments to the country’s law on bodies of the public prosecution service.

A regular sitting of the fourth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the fourth convocation presided over by its head, Shukurjon Zuhurov, was held on May 22.

Speaking at the session, the Prosecutor-General Sherkhon Salimzoda noted that the bill provided for the repeal of immunity of prosecutors and investigators.

According to him, this initiative of the government is aimed at preventing corruption and strengthening the fight against corruption among prosecutors.

Parliamentarians also approved amendments proposed to the country’s law on courts.  Under these amendments, criminal proceedings against judges will be instituted by the Prosecutor-General and judges’ criminal cases will be considered by the Supreme Court.

The Majlisi Namoyandagon members also endorsed amendments proposed to the country’s law on the anticorruption agency.  Under these amendments, criminal and administrative proceedings against officers from the Agency fro State Financial Control Combating Corruption will be instituted by the Prosecutor-General.

“If the anticorruption officers commit corruption-related crimes, criminal proceedings against them will be instituted by the head of the anticorruption agency,” Tajik chief prosecutor added.

We will recall that a new Criminal Code that came into effect in Tajikistan on April 1, 2010 transfers to courts some powers previously held by prosecutors.  They include the power to issue arrest warrants, permission for phone taps, the freezing of assets, property confiscation, and other operations if investigators can prove such a necessity.  Investigators must also explain their reasons for keeping suspects behind bars.