Russian President Pardoned 62 Convicts This Year

Russian President Vladimir Putin has pardoned 62 convicts in 2003, said Robert Tsivilev, head of the presidential pardoning department, on Thursday. For half of them, the terms of imprisonment were cut down, others were fully freed from punishment.

According to the department, beginning this year, it has received 250 petitions on pardoning from federation members.

Last year, the regional commissions on pardoning sent 8,000 petitions. Positive decisions were passed with regard to 182 convicts.

At the present time, the pardoning commissions have been set up in all federation members of Russia, said Tsivilev. Their members are representatives of the executive and legislative power, prominent public figures and creative intelligentsia.