DUSHANBE (TajikTA) — Tajikistan will tighten sanctions against pimping and brothels.

The lower house of the parliament has approved amendments to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan, according to which, in the event of a repeat offence, the offender is liable to a penalty of 5 to 8 years’ imprisonment. Previously, such a crime involved a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 somoni or up to 5 years in prison.

In addition, according to the new amendments, the intentional infection of another person with HIV/AIDS will be considered an aggravated crime.

The Tajik Parliament has also approved amendments to the Law on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Assistance to Victims of Trafficking, according to which the power to give a person the legal status of a victim of trafficking is vested to state actors (the Attorney General, Ministry of Internal Affairs, National Security Committee, AKN and Customs Service) who are directly involved in the fight against trafficking in human beings.

According to Deputy Interior Minister Ikrom Umarzoda, in the first nine months of this year, 49 people, including 44 women, were arrested for crimes related to trafficking in human beings. The number of victims of human trafficking during this period was 15, including 10 women.