Almaty (Kazakhstan), Nov 4 : Tajikistan President Emomali Rakhmon has signed an amnesty, granting freedom to some 10,000 prisoners, officials said Wednesday.

The amnesty was passed to mark the 15th anniversary of Tajikistan's constitution Nov 6, the country's presidential news service said.

The prisoners were held for minor crimes and make up nearly half of the inmates lodged in Tajikistan jails, Xinhua reported.

The amnesty excludes those serving sentences for crimes such as terrorism, pillage, fraud, premeditated murder and treason.

The new amnesty was the 12th since Tajikistan became independent in 1991, breaking away from the erstwhile Soviet Union.(IANS)