Armenia has decided to pardon a third of prisoners
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The Armenian parliament at its meeting on Wednesday passed the first amnesty law submitted by the government, which covers 36% of convicts, the document provides for the termination of criminal cases related to the seizure of the building of the police patrol in Yerevan in 2016, RIA Novosti reports.

72 deputies voted for the document, there were no against and abstentions. The second and final reading is scheduled for Thursday.

“Of the 2,888 prisoners held in penitentiaries, 270 - about 15% will be released, 396 convicted persons, or 21.5%, will be reduced. duties of the Minister of Justice of the country Artak Zeynalyan, introducing the bill.

He added that the amnesty could affect 2,720 out of 3,850 people whose punishment was not connected with imprisonment under the probation system. The Investigation Committee will close 1,096 investigated criminal cases out of 6,140. The amnesty is timed to the 2,800th anniversary of Yerevan and the 100th anniversary of the first republic. It was last announced in Armenia five years ago - in October 2013.