Justice - Mercy for the holidays: Christmas amnesty in MV prisons
This year's Christmas amnesty has begun in the four prisons in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Of the approximately 1000 prisoners currently in custody, 33 have the chance of early release by the end of the year, as the Ministry of Justice informed the German Press Agency in response to an inquiry. Most of the decisions have been made, but some are still pending. In 2021, 30 prisoners were released before the actual end of their sentence via the Christmas amnesty, according to the ministry, and 24 last year.
"The main purpose of the Christmas amnesty is to organize appointments with the authorities in good time before the holidays in order to ensure a smooth transition back to everyday life after prison," explained Justice Minister Jacqueline Bernhardt (Left Party). "Of course, there is always the hope that the prisoners will start a new chapter in their lives with their families without committing any more crimes."
The conditions for an amnesty at the festival are strict. Only prisoners with custodial sentences or juvenile sentences of less than two years can be released from prison early. They must not have attracted negative attention during their time in prison. According to the ministry, one to two percent of all prisoners in the North East benefit from this every year.
The Christmas amnesty only involves a few weeks less imprisonment. According to the ministry, only those prisoners who would have been released between November 24, 2023 and January 5, 2024 are eligible. Prisoners' applications are reviewed by so-called clemency authorities.
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- The Ministry of Justice in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern announced that 33 prisoners could potentially be released early this year as part of the 'Christmas amnesty', reducing their sentences by a few weeks.
- Although the Christmas amnesty is not a significant reduction in sentence duration, according to the ministry, it provides an opportunity for prisoners with short sentences to rejoin their families during the holiday season.
- The German Press Agency reported that Justice Minister Jacqueline Bernhardt, from the Left Party, stated that the main purpose of the Christmas amnesty is to ensure a smooth re-entry into society by facilitating timely appointments with authorities before the festive period.
Source: www.stern.de
