Tajikistan’s Parliament recently approved significant amendments to the Criminal Code to impose stiff penalties on cryptocurrency miners who steal electricity.
The revisions, presented by Attorney General Khabibullo Vokhidzoda, address the ongoing problem of power theft by miners, which authorities state contributes to regional power outages and substantial damages.
- Penalties (Article 253(2)):
- Offenders face fines ranging from $1,650 to $8,250 or two to five years in prison.
- Mining operations deemed to be on an “especially large scale” can result in a longer sentence of five to eight years behind bars.
Authorities reported damages of approximately 32 million somoni ($3.52 million) due to illegal mining, leading to numerous criminal investigations. Currently, there are 190 ongoing cases involving nearly 4,000 individuals, with total alleged damages reaching $4.26 million.
Lawmakers noted that miners frequently connect thousands of ASIC devices illegally, bypassing meters and burdening the grid. The new law is also designed to combat tax evasion, unauthorized electronic encryption, and attempts to circumvent commodity tracking systems.
This issue is critical for Tajikistan, as the country is already struggling with winter power shortages due to low water levels affecting its hydropower-dependent grid (which provides nearly 95% of its electricity). The problem has been exacerbated by an influx of foreign crypto miners, particularly from Russia and China, following China’s 2021 mining ban.
The legislation will become effective once signed by President Emomali Rahmon.
