MINSK, 4 September (BelTA) – Belarus’ Prosecutor General Andrei Shved commented on the Belarusian president's decision to pardon 30 persons convicted of protest-related crimes, BelTA has learned.
“The head of state instructed the special commission, which is in charge of facilitating the return of citizens to their homeland, to consider petitions for pardon of citizens serving sentences for extremist crimes. The commission’s meeting was preceded by thorough work. All available materials were studied, including criminal cases and materials related to these people’s behavior in prison,” Andrei Shved said.
According to him, the commission members took into account other circumstances, including age, sincere repentance, assurances of strictly observing the laws of the country in the future, health state and others. “We also took into account the fact that these individuals did not commit violent crimes against representatives of the authorities. They were convicted mainly for insult and slander in the internet space,” the prosecutor general said.
The commission members, among whom are representatives of the government bodies, mass media and public associations, discussed each candidate, he added.
“The discussion was quite active. An open vote was held,” Andrei Shved said, adding that in some cases decisions in favor of the applicants were made by a margin of 1-2 votes, not more.
The commission made a decision to address the head of state with an appeal to pardon these people (we were talking about 30 persons). “The head of state, agreeing with the opinion of the commission members, adopted an act of pardon, guided by the principles of humanism. In fact, it is an act of goodwill,” the prosecutor general emphasized.
These people, after being released from prison, will be under supervision of the internal affairs bodies.
