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Prisoner Release: General Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and National Accord in Tajikistan

Implementations

Prisoner Release – 1997

Prisoner swaps began in 1997 and continued at an incremental pace.¹ The UTO released two groups of government prisoners, 119 in total on 17 September and 19 October in Tavildara. In turn, the government agreed to release 161 detainees. Roughly half (78) were set free on 20 October with help from UNMOT.²

“Tajik Sides Swap Prisoners of War,” The Moscow Times, July 19, 1997.
“Report of the Secretary-General on the Situation in Tajikistan,” United Nations (S/1998/374), May 6, 1998.

Prisoner Release – 1998

On 29 March, UTO forces released 16 government soldiers. On 30 March the UTO released another 73 government soldiers.³

“Report of the Secretary-General on the Situation in Tajikistan,” United Nations (S/1997/859), November 5, 1997.

Prisoner Release – 1999

A June 17 Protocol signed by Rakhmonov and Nuri called for the release of 47 UTO supporters who were imprisoned. Rakhmonov granted 40 of the prisoners amnesty, but they were not released. Of the other seven, it was reported that two were killed in prison, two died of illness in prison and three were denied amnesty.⁴ The UTO submitted an additional list of war prisoners being held in government prisons. According to the U.S. State Department Human Rights Practice Report, by November of 1999, the government had released all UTO prisoners on the list. The government accepted the UTO’s claim that it had released all war prisoners.⁵

“Report of the Secretary-General on the Situation in Tajikistan,” United Nations (S/1999/1127), November 4, 1999.
“Country Reports on Human Rights Practices- 2000- Tajikistan,” U.S. State Department, 2001, accessed August 6, 2012.