The Government of Tajikistan is trying to repatriate all Tajik women serving their jail terms in Syria and Iraq.

In a report released a news conference in Dushanbe, the deputy head of the Committee on Family and Women’s Affairs under the Government of Tajikistan, Ms. Marhabo Olimi, revealed on August 1 that 158 Tajik woman are currently serving their jail terms abroad.

According to her, 90 Tajik women are serving their jail terms in Russia, 48 in Syria and Iraq, and 20 in Turkey and China.  

Ms. Olimi noted that the Government of Tajikistan had se t up a commission on repatriating Tajik women from Syria and Iraq.  

“Tajik women serving their jail terms in Syria and Iraq cannot be considered criminals.  They are victims.  Tajik women are obedient and they traveled to Syria and Iraq at the insistence of their husbands.  The Government of Tajikistan wants to prove this and bring those women home,” Olimi said.

She further noted that husbands of most of those women had been killed in battles. 

Asked about women serving their jail terms in Tajikistan, Olimi said, “300 women are serving their jail terms in the women’s penal colony in Nurek.”

“Twice a year, employees of the Committee visit them,” noted Olimi.  “The Committee also helps ex-convicts find jobs.  Thus, two of ex-convicts have received presidential grants and are successfully doing business.”  

Recall, Tajikistan has repatriated 84 minors from Iraq, where their Tajik mothers have been imprisoned under charges of belonging to the Islamic state (IS) terror group or are awaiting trial.  A Fly Erbil flight carrying the 84 children and teenagers landed at Dushanbe airport late on April 30.  The Tajik government thanked the Kuwaiti and Iraqi foreign ministries as well as the UNICEF office in Baghdad for helping with the repatriation.