REUTERS

Ukrainian Justice Minister Denys Malyuska has said an amnesty bill has been drafted to release about 900 prisoners amid the COVID-19 epidemic.

"It is about only those who do not pose a danger to society," he wrote on Facebook.

Otherwise, according to the minister, this may only increase the number of COVID-19 patients, as well as "worsening the criminal situation significantly."

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"But we do not initiate or support the mass release of tens of thousands of prisoners. Such processes should be gradual, being prepared and controlled without posing a threat to society," he added.

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The ministry also wants to amend laws to reduce the number of new people who are sent to pretrial detention centers or penal colonies.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers on April 3 approved new measures to strengthen quarantine, which was introduced in the country over the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The current measures will be in effect from April 6 to April 24.

The government imposed bans on: staying in public places without wearing personal protective means, in particular a respirator or face mask, including home-made ones; movement by a group of people of more than two people, except for cases of official necessity and accompanying persons under the age of 14 by parents, adoptive parents, guardians, trustees, foster parents, and other persons in accordance with the law or adult relatives of the child; staying in public places of persons under the age of 14 unaccompanied by parents, adoptive parents, guardians, trustees, foster parents, and other persons in accordance with the law or adult relatives of the child; visiting parks, squares, recreation areas, forest parks, and coastal zones, except for pet-walking by one person and in matters related to service; visiting sports sites and playgrounds; holding public events (with exceptions); walking the streets without IDs confirming citizenship or special status; and leaving the observation (isolation) site without permission.