62 prisoners released from Pul-i-Charkhi jail

KABUL (Pajhwok): Sixty-two prisoners were released on Tuesday from the Pul-i-Charkhi prison east of Kabul in compliance with a presidential decree, an official said.

Most of the individuals had completed their jail terms and some had got their sentences reduced by one to five years, said Aziz Ahmad Sarbaz, Attorney General Office (AGO) chief prosecutor.

Sarbaz told reporters the presidential decree gave one month and 20 days concession to prisoners who had been sentenced to more than 10 years in jail.

A total 26,500 individuals are imprisoned nationwide and of them 70,000 are held at the Pul-i-Charkhi prison.

Pul-i-Charkhi prison in-charge Brig. Gen. Sardar Mohammad Zazai said every prisoner had the right to benefit from presidential decrees.

He said Pul-i-Charkhi officials followed the law and the prison had been converted into a rehabilitation center, where prisoners learned skills to play a constructive role in society after their release.

Niamtullah, one of the released prisoners, said he had been arrested by security forces on the charge of having links with Taliban insurgents in southern Kandahar province four years back.

nh/ma

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