48 prisoners released from Balkh jail

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (PAN): Forty-eight prisoners were released on Thursday from a jail in northern Balkh province in compliance with a presidential decree issued on April 28, an official said.

Beneficiaries of the presidential orders included nine women‘s Victory Day.

Qazi Fazel, the court of appeals chief, said cases of those released were investigated and that eligible inmates who had no role in terrorist attacks and drug smuggling had been released.

One of the beneficiaries, Sabira, a 22-years-old resident of western Herat province, said she would try to resume a normal life and would avoid anything considered illegal. She would not comment why she had been jailed.

She said was grateful to President Karzai and prison officials for their good behavior with her, but complained about the lack of facilities in the jail.

There are 1152 prisoners, including 72 women and 28 children, languishing in the central jail.

mrh /ma

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