Status: 12/15/2022 08:55 a.m
For more than 1,000 inmates in German prisons, the celebration of love becomes a celebration of freedom: they were sent home early as part of the Christmas amnesty. Only one state does not participate.
More than 1,000 prisoners in Germany were released early before Christmas. This was the result of a survey by the dpa news agency among the justice ministries of the federal states. The largest number of those released was in the most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where 291 prisoners were released.
The total of at least 1,056 early releases this year represents a significant increase from 2021, when states released just over 800 offenders early.
Planned dismissal is usually only brought forward
The Christmas amnesty is intended to bring a nice celebration to prisoners who would be released around the turn of the year anyway. In the case of the Christmas amnesty, prisoners are usually released only days or a few weeks before their planned release. However, there are also prisoners who refuse early release and prefer to spend Christmas in prison.
The requirements for early incarceration are strict: only inmates who did not attract negative attention in prison and who did not have to serve a long prison sentence are eligible.
View of an inner courtyard in the Weiterstadt prison: In Hesse, 75 prisoners are released before Christmas.
Image: dpa
No one can be reached between the years
In Baden-Württemberg, the gates were opened early for around 200 prisoners. The amnesty “benefits those imprisoned whose prison sentence would end in the last few weeks of the year,” said Justice Minister Marion Gentges (CDU). “People shouldn’t be out on the street when nobody can be reached in the counseling centers and social welfare offices between the years.”
Berlin’s Justice Senator Lena Kreck (left), who was responsible for the early release of more than 160 criminals, uses similar arguments: in the past it has been shown that the search for apartments and jobs is particularly difficult at Christmas and at the turn of the year. That is why her state Berlin is beginning to grant graces at the end of October.
“Freedom in the family circle”
Jacqueline Bernhardt (left), Minister of Justice in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, sums up politicians’ expectations of the Christmas amnesty as follows:
In principle, we see a really good chance for the prisoners who benefit from the Christmas pardon that they will use the path to freedom with their families for a new phase of life without further crimes.
In Thuringia, the Ministry of Justice emphasized that the seven releases so far are not a “Christmas amnesty”, but rather the basis is a decree about “merciful acts on the occasion of Christmas”.
Only Bayern stays tough
As in previous years, Bavaria is not taking part in the so-called Christmas amnesty. “Changing a legally binding sentence by way of clemency must therefore be reserved for absolutely exceptional cases and must not depend on the coincidences of the calendar,” said the Free State’s Ministry of Justice.
Christmas amnesty: 1000 prisoners earlier released from German prisons
Alfred Schmit, ARD Berlin, 12/15/2022 8:54 a.m