Kazakhstan senate approves amnesty for over 15,000 inmates
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Kazakhstan's Senate on Thursday approved a law on amnesty in connection with the adoption of the new Constitution, affecting over 15,300 convicts. About 4,500 people will be fully released, while sentences for 10,800 others will be reduced. The law also introduces the first administrative amnesty in the country's history, waiving unpaid fines for individuals and businesses.
Scope of the Amnesty
The amnesty covers individuals convicted of criminal offenses and crimes of minor gravity, who will be released from criminal liability or principal punishment. For those convicted of medium-gravity crimes, the unserved portion of the sentence will be halved. Convicts of grave and especially grave crimes who have fully compensated damages will have their terms reduced by one-third and one-quarter, respectively. Those who have not compensated damages will see reductions of one-quarter for grave and one-fifth for especially grave crimes. Inmates with less than one year left to serve and no negative behavior record will be released entirely.
Exclusions and Administrative Amnesty
The amnesty does not apply to individuals convicted of terrorism, extremism, corruption, torture, sexual offenses against minors, organized crime, life imprisonment, or those sentenced in absentia. Separately, the law introduces Kazakhstan's first administrative amnesty, waiving unpaid fines for citizens, individual entrepreneurs, notaries, lawyers, private bailiffs, and legal consultants. Fines imposed by courts or for offenses threatening citizen or state security are excluded.
Legislative Process
The law was initiated by Parliament deputies following a directive from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The Senate Committee on Constitutional Legislation, Judicial System and Law Enforcement Agencies recommended approval, and senators voted in favor. The bill now awaits the President's signature to become law.
What's Next
The law will be sent to President Tokayev for signing. It remains unclear when the amnesty will be implemented and how the prison system will manage the release process.
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Kazakhstan senate approves amnesty for over 15,000 inmates
