Ministry: Amnesty law shall apply to 8,500 citizens

The law on amnesty shall apply to 8,500 citizens, BelTA learned from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The bodies and institutions of the penitentiary system are beginning to enforce the amnesty law signed by the head of state.

According to preliminary estimates, the law shall apply to about 8,500 convicts who are serving sentences in prisons or open prisons and who are on probation. About 4,500 convicts will be released, another 4,000 will have their sentences commuted by 1 year.

The bill waives criminal penalties for minors; pregnant women; single men who have children under the age of 18; persons who reached the generally established retirement age; disabled people of I and II disability groups; persons with active tuberculosis, cancer, and HIV infection; veterans of foreign wars (in accordance with the law on veterans); persons affected by the Chernobyl nuclear accident and other radiation accidents, persons who got injuries (concussions), mutilations, diseases during military service or while performing official duties.

Persons who committed drug trafficking crimes under the age of 18 and persons who committed corruption crimes will see their sentences commuted by 1 year.

The amnesty law shall apply to persons who committed crimes before the law entered into force and convicted before the amnesty period expired.

The amnesty shall not apply to persons who were amnestied or pardoned in 2019-2022 and who recommitted an intentional crime during the period of outstanding conviction; who have not fully compensated for the harm (damage) caused by the crime, have not paid compensation in the criminal case; persons who recommitted especially dangerous crimes or who have been recognized, in accordance with the established procedure, as especially dangerous recidivists; persons who had their death sentence, life imprisonment replaced with effective jail term; who were sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes against the state, justice, the order of administration, sexual integrity, traffic safety and the operation of transport under the influence of alcohol or drugs; who have not reimbursed alimony arrearages or compensated for the costs incurred by the government for the maintenance of their children in public care; who have committed crimes related to drug trafficking while being older than 18.

Special commissions shall be set up in correctional institutions and penitentiary inspectorates to examine the cases that fall within the scope of the law. The amnesty law shall be enforced within six months.

Written by: belta.by