"The remissions are granted to 333 prisoners consisting of 328 who have their sentences reduced and five who are set free," the head of the ministry`s public relations division, Akbar Hadi, said.
The granting of remissions was based on presidential decree number 174/1999 on remissions and government regulation number 32/1999 on conditions and procedures of exercising prisoners` rights, he said.
"Under the provisions, the Seclusion Day remissions are given to Hindu prisoners who have been sentenced to more than six months in jail, have good behavior and have never violated discipline," he said.
The remissions were a form of the government`s reward to prisoners for their effort to maintain good behavior while serving their jail terms. As such, they could return to their family and the community soon, he said.
"The Seclusion Day remissions are only granted to prisoners who have committed general criminal offences," he said.
Under the government regulation, remissions are not granted to people jailed for terrorism, narcotic and psychotropic abuse, corruption, crime against state security and gross human rights violation and other organized transnational crimes.
"The transnational crimes are human trafficking, money laundering, illegal logging and cyber crimes," he said.
According to data from the Directorate General of Corrections, the number of prisoners and detainees held at correctional facilities and detention cells nationwide reached 145,798 consisting of 95,378 prisoners and 50,420 detainees as of March 21, 2012.
(S012)
Editor: Ella Syafputri
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
