249 CONVICTS GET REDUCED SENTENCES ON CHRISTMAS

Manado, Dec 26 (ANTARA)- A total of 249 prison inmates in Manado had their jail sentences or confinement period reduced on the occasion of Christmas, an official said.

The sentence reduction was provided under a decision announced by the Prison Affairs Directorate in a ceremony attended by hundreds of inmates at the Manado second-class jail.

Head of the Jail Affairs Directorate Untung Subyono said here Friday that the jail sentence and confinement period cuts were the realization of a message of Law No 12 of 1995, article 14, and Presidential Decree No 74 of 1999.

The ceremony which lasted for about two hours was also attended by a number chief wardens from several jails in some regions, wardens, and hundreds of inmates, including female convicts.

The number of inmates whose jail sentences had been specially reduced on the occasion of Christmas reached 242, including seven who walked free, and the remaining 242 only had their period of confinement reduced.