In India, the government wants to release as many prisoners on trial as possible. They would be some 350,000 languishing behind bars without even having been sentenced. As the 75th Independence Day approaches, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged legal authorities to act.
With our correspondent in Bangalore, Como Bastin
The Prime Minister delivered his message at the first meeting of local judiciaries across India. In particular, he called on the local magistrates, helped by the police and prison staff, to expedite as many judgments as possible to free prisoners as the symbolic anniversary of Indian independence approaches.
The position of Narendra Modi follows a harsh ruling by the Supreme Court against India’s justice system on July 11. ” Prisons in India are flooded with citizens on trial “, judged the high institution, adding that among these, many were for very slight reasons or sometimes even without real reason, which is similar to a ” police state “.
On July 15, Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju was outraged that 350,000 Indians are awaiting trial, sometimes because they cannot afford a lawyer. According to the minister, the government has decided to facilitate pardons and sentence reductions to empty the prisons as quickly as possible.