Govt Gives Sentence Remissions to 74,468 Prisoners

Jakarta (Antara) - The Government of Indonesia through the Law and Human Rights Ministry has given remissions to 74,468 prisoners across the country on the occasion of the 69th anniversary of Indonesia's Independence Day. The Law and Human Rights Ministry's Spokesman, Akbar Hadi Prabowo, said in a press statement made available to Antara here on Sunday that 71,919 prisoners had received type I sentence remissions. At the same time, the other 2,549 prisoners who received the sentence reduction could directly walk free as they had completed their sentence tenure. "The 2,549 prisoners who receive type II remission are now free as their sentences have been completed," said Akbar. Most of the remissions were given to convicted criminals in West Java Province, where 11,369 prisoners got the remissions of whom 374 people had been released. The second largest number of remissions went the Capital City of Jakarta's 6,945 prisoners, of whom 205 inmates could walk free directly. East Java Province saw the third largest remissions granted to 6,802 prisoners. Some 325 inmates received type II remissions. "The sentence reduction given given to the inmates ranges from one to six months," said Akbar. (*)