Turkmen leader pardons hundreds of prisoners

President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed a decree on “Amnesty of sentenced persons on the occasion of Day of Constitution and Magtymguly’s poetry,” Turkmenistan The Golden Age Newspaper reports.

In line with this decree, the convicted 853 persons will be released from further serving their prison sentences and also from additional punishments in the form of obligation to reside in certain areas.

Earlier, The Turkmen leader granted amnesty to more than 1,200 prisoners. He said that the pardon was “guided by the traditions of charity and humanity that belonged to our ancestors,” in 2015.

1202 Turkmen citizens and 13 foreign nationals were released in 2015, 1002 persons in 2013 and up to 1500 persons were released in 2009.