Around 1,500 participants of the January riots will be subject to amnesty in Kazakhstan. The corresponding law has been adopted today by members of the Senate, the Upper House of the Kazakh Parliament. The document provides for the release of Kazakh residents from punishment for criminal offenses, as well as minor and medium gravity crimes. The records of those who served sentences for such offences have been expunged. The bill prescribes to reduce the sentence by three quarters for grave crimes and by half for particularly grave crimes. The final court decision will be made on each case individually. In addition, the law provides the resocialization of released people, including employment, medical care and paperwork. Members of the Senate noted that terrorists, extremists, and organizers of mass riots are not subject to amnesty.
“The measure adopted should not be regarded as an acquittal. It’s a one-time amnesty. The bill was drafted on the instructions of the Kazakh President for the January riots participants who committed criminal offenses. We consider this measure as an act of humanism on the part of society and the state. The law stipulates specific rules, conditions and procedures for amnesty. It also provides further resocialization of released people, including employment, paperwork and many other things,” said Lyazzat Suleimen, Member of the Senate, the Upper House of the Kazakh Parliament.
