Lukashenko: No politics during the amnesty

It should be no politics during the amnesty, said President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at the meeting on the issue of amnesty.

"We conduct the amnesty in our state and for our society. This is a signal to society, and encouraging prisoners. No politics should be there", Belta quotes the president.

According to Lukashenko, the criteria should be defined according to which the prisoner may be released under an amnesty, or a term of punishment for him may be reduced.

"And "pulling" the people who do not have to be at large, including for some political reasons, won't be in no case", the president said.

We remind, during the message to the people and parliament on May 8 Lukashenko ordered to prepare the document on amnesty to the Independence Day on July 3.

"I've already talked about this: good people are languishing in dungeons, and we release the villains - under pressure or not under pressure", Lukashenko said at the time.

In late May, the Department of Corrections has prepared and submitted to the Council of Ministers the draft amnesty law, which is consistent with all relevant government agencies. According to preliminary estimates from prison can be released about 2.8 thousand people. To more than seven thousand of prisoners under the amnesty, they plan to reduce the sentence for a year.

If the bill passes, BelaPAN informs, in July they will release minors, pregnant women, women and single men who have minor children, disabled groups I and II, patients with cancer, participants of liquidation of the consequences of Chernobyl disaster and the victims of Chernobyl disaster as well as veterans of combat operations in other states. From the penalty may also be exempt perpetrators of crimes that do not pose great danger to society, and crimes related to the category of less serious, but on condition of compensating the damage.

Not subject to amnesty, are the persons who didn't repair the damage caused by a crime, and citizens who did not return to the State income from illegal business activities. Those who conducted a particularly dangerous relapse cannot hope for liberation. Those who didn't compensate the costs of their children in public care won't be released. There will be no breaks also for those who are in the wanted list in connection with the avoidance of punishment upon conviction.

The Department of Corrections emphasized: the amnesty does not apply to persons who willfully violate the established order of punishment.

This will be the 12th amnesty since 1991. As a result of last year's amnesty 2,300 people came at large.