“Penal Reform International” will help Tajikistan improve penitentiary system.

The agreement on further cooperation was reached on September 24 at the meeting of the leadership of the Main Directorate for the Execution of Penalties of the Ministry of Justice of Tajikistan (MDEP) and the regional director of PRI in Central Asia Azamat Shambilov.

The sides exchanged views on the current situation in the criminal-executive system in the countries of Central Asia, modern trends and trends in reforming the penal system in various countries around the world.

Following the meeting, the parties signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Main Department for the Execution of Penalties of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Regional Representative Office of Penal Reform International in Central Asia.

The signing of the Memorandum was preceded by joint events, as well as negotiations and discussions on plans to improve the criminal-executive system, as a result of which the parties reached an agreement on cooperation, provision of expert and technical support.

PRI has been interacting with MDEP since 2004 and during this time a number of important activities were carried out to develop the penitentiary system in Tajikistan.

The most active years of cooperation between the two organizations were the period from 2004 to 2007, when technical and expert support was provided to combat tuberculosis and other diseases in places of deprivation of liberty and a training center was established at MDEP.

Penal Reform International Regional Director in CA Azamat Shambilov expressed gratitude to the head of the MDEP of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Tajikistan, Izatullo Sharifzoda, for constructive cooperation and openness.

«We highly appreciate the work being carried out in the penal system, in particular in the creation of a system of resocialization and reintegration of convicts, where in recent years very important activities have been carried out and employment programs for convicts in places of deprivation of liberty have been established. For our part, we will make every effort to provide expert and technical support in the successful implementation of the plans. Our organization welcomes the ongoing reforms in the criminal justice system in the Republic of Tajikistan and ready to provide all the necessary support in the implementation of the tasks», - declared Shambilov.

PRI is one of the leading international organizations specializing in the reform of the penitentiary system around the world, which has many years of experience in different countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. PRI has consultative status with the UN and the Council of Europe. The activities of the International Prison Reform in Central Asia began in 1998.