Uzbek leader pardons 852 prisoners, including 49 women

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree pardoning 852 people serving prison sentences, including convicts who have expressed remorse and embarked on a path of rehabilitation.

According to Uzbek media outlet Podrobno.uz, 604 people have been fully released from their sentences, while another 115 have been granted parole. The sentences of 52 convicts have been replaced with less severe forms of punishment, and the prison terms of 81 others have been reduced.

The pardoned group includes seven foreign nationals and 63 people who were involved in the activities of banned organisations.

The decree also covers 375 young people, 49 women and 37 men aged over 60.

The presidential decree therefore provides for different forms of clemency, ranging from full release to parole, commutation of sentences and reductions in prison terms.

By Tamilla Hasanova