During six months of the coming into force of the law on the humanization of the penal policy, the number of detainees in penitentiaries has decreased, IPN reports, with reference to the Ministry of Justice.
According to a report presented by the National Administration of Penitentiaries, over 7,300 persons were held in jails in Moldova on July 1 this year. This is by about 550 persons fewer than in the corresponding period last year. At the same time, slightly over 1,800 persons started to serve time in jail in the first half of this year, while 1,920 completed their sentences and were set free in the period.
In the first half of 2018, 97 persons were released from jail after the unserved time was replaced with a milder punishment. In January-June 2017, seven persons were set free on such conditions. In the same period, 260 persons were released on parole, as opposed to 115 in 2017.
By the amendments made to the Penal Code, the Penal Procedure Code, the Execution Code and the Contravention Code that took effect on December 20, 2017, a number of jail time serving mechanisms were implemented and a number of blockages were eliminated. The main changes refer to the strengthening of the court’s role in individualizing punishment, release on parole, replacement of the unserved time with a milder punishment and partial suspension of the jail sentence.
