Criminal law reform to cut Russia's prison population ITAR-TASS
Moscow, 30 March: The criminal law reform under way in Russia will result in the number of prisoners falling to 800,000 by the beginning of 2005, Deputy Justice Minister Yuriy Kalinin said at a meeting of the justice minister's public council on the penitentiary system.
He said that "as a result of the Criminal Code amendments passed in 2004 about 150,000 prisoners will be released on parole early". In addition, "the number of cases qualifying for early parole will also increase drastically". Following the adoption of amendments to the Criminal Code, the courts will have to consider about 450,000 cases, including on transferring prisoners to milder prison regimes and shortening sentences.
He did not rule out, however, that "the process may take longer than planned because of a sharp increase in such cases being sent to courts".
The package of amendments humanizing criminal punishment was submitted to the State Duma by President Putin. They envisage milder sentences for those convicted on a number of articles of the Russian Criminal Code, including such a widespread one as Article 158 - theft.
By the end of 2003, there were 855,000 people in custody in the penitentiary system, including 695,000 in penitentiaries and 144,000 in remand centres.