Current State of the Penal System in Tajikistan
Rakhmajonzoda R.R., Abdurashidzoda A.A. Current state of the penal system in Tajikistan. Penitentiary Science, 2025, vol. 19, no. 4 (72), pp. 374–381. doi 10.46741/2686- 9764.2025.72.4.004.
the article considers a current state of the penal system of the Republic of Tajikistan
through the prism of the legislative framework, historical reality, transformation of the penal system,
as well as achievements in the scientific-theoretical, scientific-practical and scientific-educational
contexts, taking into account the preparation and publication of relevant works. The legislative
framework indicates both advantages and complex problems of the penal system, which require their
proper legal regulation. Purpose: to reveal a current state of the penal system, to determine sectoral
problems of the system and to identify promising areas for the development of the system. Methods:
dialectical cognition, analysis and synthesis, historical, comparative legal, method of collecting information
(all available regulatory legal acts were collected and analyzed and scientific, educational
and practical works were reviewed). Conclusions: despite a number of achievements in the reform
of the penitentiary system of Tajikistan, a number of major complex problems related to the precise
definition of further policy in the sphere of execution of criminal penalties are still visible. The authors
also adhere to the idea of organizing and conducting annual monitoring of the system of execution of
criminal penalties.
Keywords: penal system; crime; punishment; counteraction; policy; humanization; education; science; practice; personnel training.
N.M. Dushanbe, 2020. 280 p.
2. Rogova E.V., Yuldoshev R.R. Ugolovnyi prostupok v kontekste sovremennykh tendentsii ugolovnoi politiki: monogr.
[Criminal offense in the context of modern trends in criminal policy: monograph]. Dushanbe, 2017. 160 p.
3. Yuldoshev R.R., Makhmadiev Kh.Kh., Akbarzoda A.A. Prestupnost’ v Tadzhikistane (1991–2016 gg.: nauchno-prakticheskoe
posobie [Crime in Tajikistan (1991-2016): scientific and practical manual]. Dushanbe, 2018. 320 p.
4. Human rights in closed and semi-closed institutions. In: Otchet Upolnomochennogo po pravam cheloveka v Respublike
Tadzhikistan za 2023 g. [Report of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Tajikistan for 2023]. Dushanbe,
2024. 400 p. (In Russ.).
5. Rakhmadzhonzoda R.R., Yuldoshev R.R. Bibliografiya po ugolovno-pravovomu profilyu podgotovki kadrov: nauchnoe
izdanie [Bibliography on the criminal-legal profile of personnel training: scientific publication]. Dushanbe, 2019. 340 p.
6. Makhmudov Sh.D. Primenenie uslovnogo osuzhdeniya k lisheniyu svobody s obyazatel’nym privlecheniem osuzhdennogo
k trudu: avtoref. dis. ... kand. yurid. nauk [Application of a suspended sentence to imprisonment with mandatory involvement
of the convicted person in labor: Candidate of Sciences (Law) dissertation abstract]. Dushanbe, 1972. 19 p.
7. Makhmudov Sh.D. Primenenie uslovnogo osuzhdeniya k lisheniyu svobody s obyazatel’nym privlecheniem osuzhdennogo
k trudu: dis. ... kand. yurid. nauk [Application of a suspended sentence to imprisonment with mandatory involvement
of the convicted person in labor: Candidate of Sciences (Law) dissertation abstract]. Dushanbe, 1972. 187 p.
8. Sharipov T.Sh. Uslovnoe osuzhdenie: avtoref. dis. ... kand. yurid. nauk [Conditional sentence: Candidate of Sciences
(Law) dissertation abstract]. Moscow, 1992. 21 p.
9. Sharipov T.Sh. Uslovnoe osvobozhdenie ot otbyvaniya nakazaniya: problemy teorii, zakonodatel’stva i praktiki (po materialam
Respubliki Tadzhikistan): avtoref. dis. … d-ra yurid. nauk [Conditional release from serving a sentence: problems of
theory, legislation and practice (based on the materials of the Republic of Tajikistan): Doctor of Sciences (Law) dissertation
abstract]. Moscow, 2008. 56 p.
10. Azizov U.A. Evolyutsiya institutov prestupleniya i nakazaniya na territorii istoricheskogo i sovremennogo Tadzhikistana:
istoriko-pravovoe issledovanie: dis. … d-ra yurid. nauk [Evolution of the institutions of crime and punishment on the territory
of historical and modern Tajikistan: historical and legal research: Doctor of Sciences (Law) dissertation abstract].
Dushanbe, 2015. 413 p.
11. Azizov U.A. Stanovlenie i razvitie institutov prestupleniya i nakazaniya na territorii dorevolyutsionnogo Tadzhikistana
[Formation and development of the institutions of crime and punishment on the territory of pre-revolutionary Tajikistan].
Dushanbe, 2014. 200 p.
12. Azizov U.A. Evolyutsiya institutov prestupleniya i nakazaniya na territorii istoricheskogo i sovremennogo Tadzhikistana:
istoriko-pravovoe issledovanie [Evolution of the institutions of crime and punishment on the territory of historical and modern
Tajikistan: historical and legal study]. Dushanbe, 2015. 368 p.
13. Mullaev M.M. Istoriya ugolovnogo prava Tadzhikskoi SSR: do izdaniya UK TadzhSSR 1935 g.: dis. ... kand. yurid. nauk
[History of criminal law of the Tajik SSR: before the publication of the Criminal Code of the Tajik SSR of 1935: Candidate of
Sciences (Law) dissertation abstract]. Moscow, 1956. 287 p.
14. Khamrakulov R.N. Voprosy teorii i praktiki kodifikatsii ugolovnogo zakonodatel’stva soyuznoi respubliki (po materialam
Tadzhikskoi SSR): dis. ... kand. yurid. nauk [Issues of the theory and practice of codification of the criminal legislation of
the union republic (based on the materials of the Tajik SSR): Candidate of Sciences (Law) dissertation abstract]. Dushanbe,
1962. 160 p.
15. Makhmudov Sh.D. Voprosy primeneniya uslovnogo osuzhdeniya k lisheniyu svobody s obyazatel’nym privlecheniem
osuzhdennogo k trudu [Issues of application of conditional sentence to imprisonment with obligatory involvement of the
convicted person in labor]. Dushanbe, 1971. 53 p.
16. Mullaev M.M. Kommentarii Ugolovnogo kodeksa Tadzhikskoi SSR (Osobennaya chast’) [Commentary on the Criminal
Code of the Tajik SSR (Special Part)]. Dushanbe, 1988. 432 p.
17. Bakhriddinov S.E. Prestupnost’ v gorode Dushanbe (1990-1994 gg.): dis. … kand. yurid. nauk [Crime in the city of
Dushanbe (1990–1994): Candidate of Sciences (Law) dissertation abstract]. M., 1996. 116 p.
18. Zoirov Dzh.M. Prestupnost’ v Respublike Tadzhikistan: etnosotsial’nyi aspekt: dis. … kand. yurid. nauk [Crime in the Republic
of Tajikistan: ethnosocial aspect: Candidate of Sciences (Law) dissertation abstract]. Saint Petersburg, 1997. 223 p.
19. Azizov U.A. Razvitie ugolovnogo zakonodatel’stva Respubliki Tadzhikistan: 1961–2007 gg.: avtoref. dis. … kand. yurid.
nauk [Development of criminal legislation of the Republic of Tajikistan: 1961–2007: Candidate of Sciences (Law) dissertation
abstract]. Dushanbe, 2008. 22 p.
20. Sharipov T.Sh. Uslovnoe osuzhdenie [Conditional sentence]. Dushanbe, 1997. 130 p.
21. Khalikov A.G. Drevnee ugolovnoe pravo tadzhikov [Ancient criminal law of the Tajiks]. Dushanbe, 2004. 102 p.
22. Abdulov A.M. Pravovye osnovy otbyvaniya nakazaniya v zindane [Legal basis for serving a sentence in a zindan]. Dushanbe,
2005. 35 p.
23. Azizov U.A. Razvitie ugolovnogo zakonodatel’stva Tadzhikistana [Development of criminal legislation of Tajikistan]. Dushanbe,
2006. 164 p.
24. Azimov N.B. Osobennosti ugolovnoi otvetstvennosti i nakazaniya nesovershennoletnikh po novomu ugolovnomu
zakonodatel’stvu Respubliki Tadzhikistan [Features of criminal liability and punishment of minors under the new criminal
legislation of the Republic of Tajikistan]. Dushanbe, 2006. 244 p.
25. Sharipov T.Sh. Institut uslovnogo neprimeneniya nakazaniya v ugolovnom prave: problemy teorii, zakonodatel’stva i
praktiki: monografiya [Institute of conditional non-application of punishment in criminal law: problems of theory, legislation
and practice: monograph]. Ed. by Zoirov R. Dushanbe, 2006. 176 p.
26. Sharipov T.Sh., Bakhriddinov S.E. et al. Mery ugolovnoi otvetstvennosti, ne svyazannye s izolyatsiei ot obshchestva
[Measures of criminal liability not associated with isolation from society]. Dushanbe, 2007. 100 p.
27. Khasanov Sh.K. Pravovoe vospitanie kak sredstvo preodoleniya deformatsii pravosoznaniya osuzhdennykh (kompleksnyi
analiz) [Legal education as a means of overcoming the deformation of legal consciousness of convicts (comprehensive
analysis)]. Ed. by Mal’ko A.V. Dushanbe, 2010. 158 p.
28. Tuliev I.R. Aktual’nye problemy nakazanii v ugolovnom prave Respubliki Tadzhikistan [Actual problems of punishments
in the criminal law of the Republic of Tajikistan]. Dushanbe, 2012. 244 p.
29. Abdurashidov A.A. Sistema i vidy nakazanii po ugolovnomu zakonodatel’stvu Respubliki Tadzhikistan [System and
types of punishments under the criminal legislation of the Republic of Tajikistan]. Dushanbe, 2013. 96 p.
30. Taifurov Z.S. Pravovoe regulirovanie nakazaniya v vide lisheniya svobody v Respubliki Tadzhikistan: monografiya [Legal
regulation of punishment in the form of imprisonment in the Republic of Tajikistan: monograph]. Dushanbe, 2013. 168 p.
31. Tuliev I.R. Pravovoe regulirovanie naznacheniya nakazanii v ugolovnom prave Respubliki Tadzhikistan: monografiya
[Legal regulation of sentencing in the criminal law of the Republic of Tajikistan: monograph]. Dushanbe, 2013. 250 p.
32. Safarov A.I. Al’ternativnye vidy nakazanii lisheniyu svobody: monografiya (na tadzh. yaz.) [Alternative types of punishment
to imprisonment: monograph (in Tajik)]. Dushanbe, 2014. 65 p.
33. Sharipov T.Sh. Constitutional and legal development of criminal legislation. In: Konstitutsii Tadzhikistana: stanovlenie i
razvitie [Constitutions of Tajikistan: formation and development]. Dushanbe, 2014. Pp. 774–837. (In Russ.).
34. Tuliev I.R. Teoreticheskie osobennosti naznacheniya nakazanii po ugolovnomu zakonodatel’stvu Respubliki Tadzhikistan:
monografiya [Theoretical features of sentencing under the criminal legislation of the Republic of Tajikistan: monograph].
Dushanbe, 2016. 246 p.
35. Abdulov A.M. Penitentsiarnaya sistema Tadzhikistana vo vtoroi polovine XIX–XX vv. (istoriko-yuridicheskoe issledovanie).
Chast’ pervaya. Zindany Bukharskogo emirata (vtoraya polovina XIX v. – 1920 g.) [Penitentiary system of Tajikistan
in the second half of the XIX–XX centuries (historical and legal study). Part one. Zindans of the Bukhara Emirate (second half
of the 19th century – 1920)]. Dushanbe, 2003. 116 p.
36. Abdulov A.M. Penitentsiarnaya sistema Tadzhikistana vo vtoroi polovine XIX-XX vv. (istoriko-yuridicheskoe issledovanie).
Chast’ vtoraya. Zindany i tyur’my severnykh raionov Tadzhikistana (vtoraya polovina XIX v. – 1917 g.) [The penitentiary
system of Tajikistan in the second half of the XIX-XX centuries (historical and legal study). Part two. Zindans and prisons
of the northern regions of Tajikistan (second half of the XIX century – 1917)]. Dushanbe, 2004. 228 p.
37. Abdulov A.M. Pravovye osnovy i praktika penitentsiarnoi sistemy Tadzhikistana vo vtoroi polovine XIX–XX vv. (istorikoyuridicheskoe
issledovanie) [Legal foundations and practice of the penitentiary system of Tajikistan in the second half of the
XIX–XX centuries (historical and legal study)]. Dushanbe, 2005. 352 p.
38. Abdulov A.M. Tsarskaya tyur’ma na territorii Tadzhikistana [Tsar’s prison on the territory of Tajikistan]. Dushanbe, 2006.
62 p.
39. Abdulov A.M. Pravovye aspekty razvitiya sistemy ispolneniya ugolovnykh nakazanii v Tadzhikistane i ego pravovoe regulirovanie:
uchebnoe posobie [Legal aspects of the development of the system of execution of criminal punishments in
Tajikistan and its legal regulation: study guide]. Dushanbe, 2008. 33 p.
40. Soliev K.Kh., Abdulov A.M. Istoricheskie aspekty ispolneniya ugolovnykh nakazanii v Tadzhikistane: uchebnoe posobie
(na tadzh. yaz.) [Historical aspects of the execution of criminal punishments in Tajikistan: a textbook (in Tajik)]. Dushanbe,
2008. 32 p.
41. Salimov Kh.S. Ugolovno-ispolnitel’noe pravo: uchebnik (na tadzh. yaz.) [Penal law: textbook (in Tajik)]. Dushanbe,
2004. 436 p.
42. Sharipov T.Sh., Safarov A.I., Kamolov Z.A. Ugolovno-ispolnitel’noe pravo Respubliki Tadzhikistan: ucheb. (na tadzh.
yaz.) [Penal law of the Republic of Tajikistan: textbook (in Tajik)]. Dushanbe, 2011. 356 p.
43. Ugolovno-ispolnitel’noe pravo: uchebnik (na tadzh. yaz.) [Penal law: textbook (in Tajik)]. Dushanbe, 2018. 436 p.
44. Kamolov Z.A. Osnovnye sredstva ispravleniya osuzhdennykh: uchebnaya programma (na tadzh. yaz.) [Basic means of
correction of convicts: curriculum (in Tajik)]. Dushanbe, 2011. 12 p.
45. Kamolov Z.A. Osnovnye sredstva ispravleniya osuzhdennykh: rabochaya programma (na tadzh. yaz.) [Basic means of
correction of convicts: work program (in Tajik)]. Dushanbe, 2011. 16 p.
46. Kamolov Z.A. Obespechenie prav cheloveka i grazhdanina v sisteme ispolneniya ugolovnykh nakazanii: uchebnaya programma
(na tadzh. yaz.) [Ensuring human and civil rights in the system of execution of criminal punishments: curriculum
(in Tajik)]. Dushanbe, 2011. 30 p.
47. Kamolov Z.A. Obespechenie prav cheloveka i grazhdanina v sisteme ispolneniya ugolovnykh nakazanii: rabochaya
programma (na tadzh. yaz.) [Ensuring human and civil rights in the criminal punishment system: work program (in Tajik)].
Dushanbe, 2011. 30 p.
48. Kamolov Z.A., Dinorshoev A.M. Ugolovno-ispolnitel’noe pravo: uchebnaya programma (na tadzh. yaz.) [Penal law: curriculum
(in Tajik)]. Dushanbe, 2011. 42 p.
49. Kamolov Z.A., Dinorshoev A.M. Ugolovno-ispolnitel’noe pravo: rabochaya programma (na tadzh. yaz.) [Penal law: work
program (in Tajik)]. Dushanbe, 2011. 53 p.
50. Abdurashidov A.A., Soliev K.Kh. Ugolovno-ispolnitel’noe pravo: uchebno-metodicheskii kompleks [Penal law: educational
and methodological complex]. Dushanbe, 2014. 66 p.
51. Abdullaeva R.A. Metodicheskie rekomendatsii po napisaniyu kontrol’nykh rabot po distsipline “Ugolovno-ispolnitel’noe
pravo” dlya studentov zaochnogo otdeleniya [Methodological recommendations for writing term papers on the discipline
“Penal law” for correspondence students]. Dushanbe, 2014. 50 p.
52. Abdurashidov A.A., Nabiev Kh.S. Uchebnaya programma po predmetu ugolovno-ispolnitel’noe pravo Respubliki
Tadzhikistan [Curriculum on the subject of penal law of the Republic of Tajikistan]. Dushanbe, 2015. 18 p.
53. Sharipov T.Sh., Nazhbudinov M.A., Khuseinzoda S.Kh. Programma kandidatskikh ekzamenov po nauchnoi spetsial’nosti
12.00.08 – ugolovnoe pravo, kriminologiya; ugolovno-ispolnitel’noe parvo [Candidate examination program in the scientific
specialty 12.00.08 – criminal law, criminology; penal law]. Dushanbe, 2016. 37 p.
54. Kudratov N.A. Ugolovno-ispolnitel’noe pravo: uchebnaya programma (na tadzh. yaz.) [Penal law: curriculum (in Tajik)].
Dushanbe, 2017. 28 p.
55. Kamolov Z.A., Safarzoda A.I., Kholikov Sh.L. et al. Kommentarii k Kodeksu ispolneniya ugolovnykh nakazanii [Commentary
on the Code of Execution of Criminal Punishments]. Dushanbe, 2018. 636 p.