Over 30% of jailed and convicted to be amnestied with the submitted bill: acting minister

As of today, there are 2,888 jailed and convicted people in penitentiary institutions while the number of beds is 5,346, acting justice minister Artak Zeynalyan said today in the NA, presenting the amnesty bill.

The amnesty is to be declared on the occasion of 2800th anniversary of Erebuni-Yerevan and 100th anniversary of establishment of First Republic of Armenia.

In Nubarashen penitentiary the number of convicts and jailed is 644 in case when it is intended for 780. In Vardashen jail 339 convicts and jailed may be kept, while their number is 155.

“I present this information for it to be clear that the amnesty is not aimed at easing the penitentiaries for them being overloaded. It is just a humanitarian act aimed at reconciliation,” Zeynalyan said.

The acting minister said the amnesty is not applied in cases of grave crimes, human trafficking, state betrayal and other cases. The amnesty is not applied in case of life convicts as well.

“270 out of 2,888 people in penitentiary institutions will be released, it means about 15% of the jailed. In case of 396 the penalty measures will be cut,” he said, adding that overall the amnesty will be applied on over 660 jailed people which makes over 30% of their number.

At the same time the amnesty will be applied in cases of 2720 people who are under probation. Besides it will be applied on 1096 cases out of 6140 examined in the Investigative Committee.

Zeynalyan stressed that this time the number of amnesty stakeholders is more than during the previous years.