The Lower House of the Belarusian Parliament on Thursday approved an amnesty bill that could benefit more than 8,000 people, some 4,500 of whom will be released and 3,900 others will have their sentences reduced.
According to preliminary data collected by the Parliament itself in a press release, 4,545 convicts are expected to be finally released, although the total number of people affected could reach 8,500.
The draft must now pass through the Upper House for final approval before being ratified by the country’s President, Alexander Lukashenko, who announced the amnesty in September.
The measure was expected to be approved in time for the National Unity Day, which is celebrated on September 17, but the procedures have been delayed, as reported by the BelTA news agency.
The measure could also benefit the thousands of prisoners who have been imprisoned as a result of the protests in the country after the controversial presidential elections of 2020, which according to the opposition were fraudulently carried out to ensure Lukashenko’s continuity in power.
