Turkmen president pardons over 800 convicts on Day of the National Flag
ASHGABAT. Feb 16 (Interfax) - Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow has signed a decree of pardon on the Day of the National Flag under which 828 convicts will be relieved of serving the remainder of their term, the local media reported on Thursday.
The draft decree was tabled to the president at a joint session of the Cabinet and the State Security Council on Wednesday when it mulled the outcome of the February 12 presidential election.
"Guided by traditions of mercy and humanity we regularly conduct such actions freeing convicts from places of confinement," the president said signing the act.
The decree binds heads of regions, districts and cities to take care of the employment of the pardoned individuals.
The Day of the National Flag is marked in Turkmenistan on February 19.
Berdimuhamedow signed the previous decree on pardoning last December on the Day of Neutrality. That time 561 people were amnestied.