Grace for the feast - Christmas amnesty for over 670 prisoners
More than 670 prisoners in Germany have been released early so that they can celebrate Christmas at home. This was the result of a survey conducted by the German Press Agency among the justice ministries of the federal states. This time, however, far fewer are likely to benefit from the so-called Christmas amnesty. Several federal states reported a lower number of released prisoners than a year ago.
Prisoners who would have been released around the turn of the year anyway will benefit from the Christmas amnesty. However, there are also prisoners who refuse to be released early and prefer to spend Christmas in prison. According to the Ministry of Justice in Hanover, four prisoners in Lower Saxony, for example, opted out.
As in the previous year, the largest number of prisoners released was in Baden-Württemberg. Around 200 men and women were allowed to leave prison early in mid-November.
This is the distribution in selected states: In Hesse, at least 93 prisoners will be released early. There are 77 prisoners in Rhineland-Palatinate, 31 in Schleswig-Holstein, 29 in Brandenburg and 31 in Hamburg. 90 prisoners will be released in Berlin - according to the Berlin Senate of Justice, the final results of the Christmas amnesty will not be available until the beginning of 2024.
Prisoners in Saxony can still hope to be released
Prisoners in Saxony can also still hope: The responsible ministry in Dresden announced that the gates could open earlier than expected for more prisoners by Christmas Eve. Since mid-November, 19 adults have been released early.
Information on the Christmas amnesty was available from most of the federal states. As a matter of principle, Bavaria never grants amnesties at the end of the year, while Thuringia does not intend to publish figures until the new year. North Rhine-Westphalia has also not yet presented any statistics. Last year, more than 1000 people were released early nationwide.
The Christmas amnesty has another purpose: "Early release at Christmas is intended to facilitate reintegration into society," said Baden-Württemberg's Justice Minister Marion Gentges (CDU).
Hesse's Minister of Justice Roman Poseck (CDU) said: "In addition, prisoners should be given the opportunity to take advantage of support services and visit counseling centers as well as deal with authorities before they cannot be reached at all or hardly at all due to the holidays."
The conditions are strict: only prisoners who have not attracted negative attention in prison and who have not served a long prison sentence are eligible. Prisoners who have now been released early usually served time for theft, drug offenses or insults, for example.
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- Despite fewer prisoners being released this year compared to last, over 670 individuals in Germany will still celebrate Christmas at home due to the Christmas amnesty, as reported by the German Press Agency across various justice ministries in the federal states.
- Among the states, Baden-Württemberg saw the largest number of prisoners (approximately 200 men and women) released early for Christmas, similar to the previous year.
- Contrarily, in Hanover, Lower Saxony, four prisoners opted to spend Christmas in prison rather than being released early as part of the Christmas amnesty.
- The Ministry of Justice in Saxony announced that more prisoners may be released before Christmas Eve, with 19 adults already released since mid-November.
- In Berlin, at least 90 prisoners will be released early, according to the Berlin Senate of Justice, although the final results of the Christmas amnesty will not be available until the beginning of 2024.
- The purpose of the Christmas amnesty, according to Baden-Württemberg's Justice Minister Marion Gentges (CDU), is to help prisoners reintegrate back into society and take advantage of support services before the holiday break.
- Hesse's Minister of Justice Roman Poseck (CDU) added that the amnesty allows prisoners to complete essential tasks and deal with authorities before they become unreachable due to the holidays.
- Only prisoners who have not attracted negative attention in prison and have not served long sentences are eligible for the Christmas amnesty, typically serving time for offenses such as theft, drug offenses, or insults.
- The Christmas amnesty was not granted in Bavaria or will not be published until the new year in Thuringia, while North Rhine-Westphalia has yet to present any statistics on this year's amnesty, with more than 1000 people released early nationwide last year.
Source: www.stern.de
