On 2 July 2004, Tajikistan’s Lower House of Parliament passed a new law to combat trafficking in persons. The International Office for Migration (IOM) reports that the new law is the first in the region that directly addresses trafficking and will provide support for anti-trafficking initiatives. The law provides the essential terminology required to effectively prosecute traffickers and assist victims. It divides responsibilities, such as prevention, assistance and reintegration of the victims, among different government agencies. The new law defines the role of the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Security, the Ministry of Education, and the State Border Guard Committee.
The law must be approved by the Upper House of Parliament and signed by President Emomali Rakhmonov before it becomes effective. According to IOM, this next stage is expected to occur in September.
Compiled from International Office for Migration, Press Briefing Notes, July 6 2004, available here, and UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), “Tajikistan: IOM Welcomes New Law to Combat Human Trafficking,” July 6, 2004, available here.