Amnesty announced in Nagorno-Karabakh

On August, 30, deputies of the People’s Assembly of Nagorno-Karabakh adopted a decision of announcing amnesty in honour of the 20-th anniversary of declaration of independence of Nagorno-Karabakh. It is already the sixth amnesty in Nagorno-Karabakh for the period of 20 years. About 20 per cent convicts will be released on the amnesty.

These are persons sentenced to up to three years of imprisonment. The amnesty also involves invalids of I and II groups, persons sentenced to custody of up to five-year’s term, those who committed crimes at an age under 18 or people aged 60 and more, participants of Karabakh war or relatives of victims of military actions and persons sentenced conditionally.

The amnesty will not involve those who committed a number of especially grave crimes (murder, robbery, rape, illegal drug traffic) and persons convicted for crimes against state system.

Department of execution of criminal penalty with the Police of Nagorno-Karabakh (former prison of Shushi) and investigative isolation ward (IIW) with the Police of Nagorno-Karabakh which are part of Nagorno-Karabakh penitentiary system are located in Shushi. It should be noted that official Stepanakert refuses to disclose data on how many convicts are currently kept in the places of confinement in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The “Caucasian Knot” correspondent reports that there is a library in the town of Shushi and the priest’s corner where a clergyman of Artsakh Eparchy of the Armenian Apostolic Church has spiritual talks with the convicts.

Three thousand drams (about 10 dollars) are allotted every day on maintenance of one convict from the budget of Nagorno-Karabakh.