Amnesty declared in Belarus due to Victory anniversary to apply to 8,600 people
MINSK. May 28 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has signed a law On Amnesty Devoted to the 70th Anniversary of the Victory in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War, the presidential press service has told Interfax.
"The law was adopted to implement the principle of humanity and due to the important date in the history of the Republic of Belarus, the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War," the press service has reported.
The amnesty is expected to apply to 8,600 convicts, of which 2,200 will be released from prison, the press service has reported.
The law takes effect on the day of its official publication and is subject to enforcement within six months from the day on which it takes legal effect. Both chambers of the Belarusian parliament previously approved the bill.
The document determines the categories of people to whom the amnesty will apply. These are people convicted for non-grave crimes, including minors, pregnant women, people of a pension age, people with Group 1 and 2 disabilities, war veterans, people hurt by the Chernobyl disaster, and some other categories of convicts. Some convicts who will not be released from prison will have their jail time reduced by one year, the press service has reported.
