DUSHANBE, October 29, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- A new high-security penal colony, which will accommodate 2,000 inmates, is being built in the Vahdat.

An official source at Tajikistan’s Penitentiary System at the Ministry of Justice says one of Bulgarian companies has designed the new penal colony being built in Vahdat and inmates of penal colony # 1, which is located in the center of Dushanbe, will be transferred to the new penal colony in Vahdat.

“Built in 1935, Dushanbe’s penal colony is designed to accommodate 1,500 inmates,” said the source.  “Although we repair the building every year, it has become dilapidated and does not meet international standards for the holding of prisoners.”

The construction of the new penal colony began in 2010 and it is expected to be finished in two years, the source said.

Meanwhile, the penitentiary system has applied to the government for allotment of land for construction of a new pretrial detention facility of the Ministry Justice.

“Like penal colony # 1, this facility is also located in the center of Dushanbe and we have decided to build the new pretrial detention facility out of the city,” the source said.

He further added that the penitentiary system was also building a TB clinic with 100 beds for prison inmates suffering from tuberculosis.  “The clinic is being built in the Rohati settlement, not far from the Republican TB Clinic,” said the source.  “It is expected to be finished by the end of this year.”

The Penitentiary System is responsible for managing the prison system in Tajikistan and has been part of the Ministry of Justice since 2002.  Its 18 penitentiary institutions include eight correctional colonies (including one colony for women), one colony for juveniles, one prison and five pre-trial detention centers.  There are also three regional units responsible for the execution of non-custodial sanctions.