Justice Ministry: presidential amnesty to affect 7,416 people

An amnesty declared by President Václav Klaus on New Year’s Day will affect an estimated 7,416 people, or some 25 percent of all prisoners, Justice Minister Pavel Blažek said on Wednesday. That’s some 800 people more than the ministry’s previous estimate. Under the amnesty, people sentenced to up to one year have been pardoned as have those older than 75 who are serving sentences of up to 10 years. The amnesty also halts the prosecution of cases which began more than eight years ago for crimes carrying sentences of up to 10 years.