DUSHANBE, January 14, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- In 2008, 11,258 crimes were reported in Tajikistan, which is 3.8 percent fewer than during 2007, Prosecutor-General Bobojon Bobokhonov remarked at a press conference in Dushanbe on January.

Compared to 2007 there was a 1.4 percent reduction of the number of grave crimes.  2,302 such crimes were registered in the country last year, the chief prosecutor said.

The number of killings committed during the report period decreased by 23.4 percent.  118 cases of murder were reported in 2008 against 154 cases registered in 2007.

The number of crimes committed with use weapons decreased by 45.5 percent compared to 2007 and the number of robberies decreased by 12 percent.

Compared to 2007 there was an 18 percent reduction in crimes committed by minors in the report period.

Bobokhonov noted that 25 crimes, mostly related to drug trafficking, were committed by foreign citizens in the territory of Tajikistan last year. Afghan nationals committed 13 such crimes, citizens of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan – three each, and citizens of Russia, Spain, Turkey, Philippines, France and the Great Britain – one each.

In the meantime, Tajik nationals reportedly committed 244 crimes outside the country last year: 230 cases were reported in Russia; five in France; five in Kazakhstan; five in Kyrgyzstan; and four in Uzbekistan.