A library in Kulob has become the resting place of a former prisoner who has not been able to find work for years.
Rustam Kuvvatov, a resident of Vose district, who was released from prison in 2019, spends up to three days a week in the Kulob regional library.
In 2017, he was imprisoned for five years after a quarrel with a neighbor on the charge of “Hooliganism”, but he was released before the term under the “Amnesty” law.
Rustam Kuvvatov says that until 2016, he was a storekeeper at the Kulob Teacher’s College, but after his release from prison, no one would hire him under the pretext of “criminal record”. Although, he says, he no longer has a “criminal record”.
“After the day I was released, they removed my criminal record. “Now, I am not allowed to work at any workplace, they tell me that I have a criminal record,” said Rustam Kuvvatov.
Now Rustam spends most of his time reading fiction and scientific books.
The leaders of the library in Kulob allowed him to search for the book he wanted and read it either in the library or at home.
Valoyat Valieva, the librarian of the regional library in Kulob, says, “Rustam has been an active member of their library for a year.”
Rustam graduated from Kulob University’s Department of Economics. Every day, before reaching the library, he visits several institutions and offices to find a job. When his request for a job goes unanswered, he comes to the library.
“I got out of prison, the offices do not accept me, I came to the library of S. “I became a member of the city of Kulob, and when I’m unemployed, I bring five books and read them and take them back to hand them over,” he said.
Rustam is 40 years old and still lives in a house alone.
But he does not feel alone, he says that the book is his constant companion.
The problem of not finding a job for ex-prisoners has existed in Tajikistan for years. Experts believe that one of the reasons for recidivism of ex-prisoners is the inability to find a proper job and the negative attitude of the people around them.
Source : Радио Озоди