670 convicts to be released from prison after MPs pass amnesty law

The Macedonian Parliament at a session on Monday adopted the Law on Amnesty under which some 670 people sentenced to at least six month in prison will be fully exempted from serving time. Also, 3,097 convicts will see their prison sentenced cut down by 30%.

The amnesty law doesn’t cover people sentenced to life, those serving time for murder, rape and pedophilia, sentenced on terrorism charges and crimes against the state, crimes against public order and peace, including crimes against humanity and international law.

Also, the law doesn’t cover people who have committed crimes after 20 September 2017.

Drafting the law, the Ministry of Justice took into consideration current  conditions in correctional facilities across Macedonia.

Since declaring independence, Macedonia has passed several amnesty laws in 1991, 1999, 2002 and 2003 (revised in 2004).