The first of the prisoners to be impacted by a sweeping amnesty launched in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Allied victory in World War II will walk free in time to celebrate Victory Day, State Duma deputy Pavel Krasheninnikov told journalists on Tuesday, Interfax reported.
As many as 400,000 people are set to benefit from the amnesty, which was approved by the State Duma on Friday. That includes inmates, people with suspended sentences and those currently standing trial.
Up to 60,000 inmates are set to walk free from prison under the amnesty, Krasheninnikov said in comments carried by Interfax.
The first prisoners to be released will include war veterans, mothers with young children, single fathers and the workers who helped resolve the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster.
The amnesty was criticized by rights activists for its exclusion of entrepreneurs, who they say could help galvanize Russia's crisis-hit economy if set free.
Leading government critic Alexei Navalny, who is under a suspended sentence for what he claims are politically motivated embezzlement charges, will not benefit from the amnesty.
But his fellow prominent opposition activist Ilya Yashin, who had been accused of intentional infliction of light injury by a court in the town of Yaroslavl, was granted amnesty.
“The court in Yaroslavl has dropped the charges against me in the connection with amnesty,” Yashin wrote on his Twitter account Tuesday.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
