DUSHANBE, July 30, 2014, Asia-Plus – the Delegation o the European Union to Tajikistan notes that education for prisoners should be aimed to contribute to making the released people law-obedient citizens with knowledge and skills necessary to have full-fledged life in the modern environment.

The objective of today’s roundtable is in sharing the preliminary findings of the research “Accessibility and availability of education in the penitentiary system of Tajikistan.”

This research covers the issues related to accessibility, quality and availability of education in the current penitentiary system of the Republic of Tajikistan.

It is aimed at assessing the current regulations and practices related accessibility and availability of prisoner rights to education in the current penitentiary system of Tajikistan and to find answers to the following questions:

1. Does the national legislation conform to the international standards associated with the right of prisoners to education and how are the relevant laws, resolutions and regulations effectively implemented in the penitentiary system?

2. Are there any vocational training programs available in the penitentiary system, do they meet the modern requirements/standards, and do they also help prisoners with further employment after release?

3. Do the prisoners have access to educational programs during their serve terms?

The practical importance of the research is the practical application of the survey findings and recommendations to improve legislation in the area of accessibility of education for prisoners; to enhance the law-enforcement and organizational activities at the penitentiary system; to promote educational activities for the prisoners.

Representatives of government institutions, international organizations, public associations, media, the scientific community of Tajikistan, as well as the Ombudsman and independent experts are particaipting in the event.

The roundtable is organized within the project, On Social-Economic and Cultural Rights of Prisoners and Ex-prisoners in Tajikistan, which funded by the European Commission and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.  The project is implemented by the Institute for International Cooperation of the German Adult Education Association (DVV international) together with two local partners – Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law and NGO Jahon.