Albania to release 670 inmates in a New Year amnesty

TIRANA, Albania – Albania’s government has proposed an amnesty to release hundreds of people from crowded prisons and detention centres.

Justice Minister Ylli Manjani on Monday told a parliamentary commission the draft law would release about 670 inmates or detained persons serving two-year sentences, those whose sentences have less than two years to run and those charged with a felony carrying a maximum two-year sentence. It also included women over 55 years old, men over 60 and minors under 18, but public officials or others sentenced for grave crimes like family or sexual violence were excluded.

There are 6,158 people in prison or detention in facilities designed for 5,455.

Manjani said the amnesty was intended to give another “opportunity to the convicts.”

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