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â€œGold Amnestyâ€ will cover 9 thousand prisoners, 1700 expected to be released

10 March 2009 14:24 (UTC +04:00)

She said the draft law had been submitted to the Parliament by President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Member of the Parliament Mehriban Aliyeva. The commission chairwoman said the draft law was appreciated as a protection of citizensâ€™ rights and high attention to their fates.
Aslanova said the draft law, which would be adopted on the occasion of Novruz Holiday, was a part of state policy in Azerbaijan. She noted that according to the Act of Amnesty, women sentenced for the crimes not creating public threats, those who were under 18 while committing the crimes, disable people, men reaching age of 60, people maintained children or parents of disable children will be released from the prison. â€œThe amnesty will also cover the women with one year prison ahead and men with six months prison ahead, all people punished with correctional labor of public works, fined people and people with postponed or conditional sentences. Nearly 9 thousand prisoners are expected to be covered by the act of amnesty and 1700 of them expected to be released. It is very large figure. I think it can be considered as a gold amnesty, brilliant amnesty caring about the future of the peopleâ€.

Aslanova did not rule out that arrested journalists could also be released under the amnesty. â€œIf the articles they were charged meets the points of Act of Amnesty, undoubtedly, there will be journalists among the released peopleâ€.