46 prisoners released from Nangarhar jail

JALALABAD (PAN): Forty-six prisoners were released from the central jail in eastern Nangarhar province, while another 69 inmates got their jail terms slashed in compliance with a presidential decree, officials said on Tuesday.

President Hamid Karzai had issued the decree on the occasion of Mujahedeen’s Victory Day, Nangarhar appellant court deputy chief, Ali Asghar Asghari, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Eight children were also released from the juvenile rehabilitation centre after an investigation into their cases, he said, adding 46 prisoners were released from the central jail and jail terms of 69 others were reduced.

Sentences were slashed from six moths to two years of those inmates who had already spent 16 to 20 years in imprisonment. Those who had been convicted of 5 to 15 years in jail got their jail term slashed by one year.

Most of the inmates had been convicted on corruption charges and violence against women, he said.

A 70-year-old beneficiary of the presidential decree, Ghulam Hussain, said he was put behind the bars after his son clashed with each other. He said instead of arresting his sons, police arrested him. He said his remaining eight months and 25 days term was forgiven under the decree.

He was happy with the behaviour of jail officials, but complained about a lack of electricity in the jail.

Constructed 65 years ago, the Nangarhar central had the capacity of housing 500 inmates, but currently more than 1,285 prisoners, including 21 women, are held at the facility.

myn/ma

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