Beijing, June 4 (IANS) Around 1,400 prisoners have been released from jail on medical grounds, before their sentences were over in China’s Jiangxi province, an official said.
Of the 1,400 prisoners released Thursday, 632 are elderly, 160 are handicapped and 604 are severely ill, Ma Chengzu, director of the the judicial department of Jiangxi province was quoted as saying by chinanews.com.cn.
The prisoners were released as part of a sentence mitigation programme started in June 2009 by the department.
The Jiangxi prison administrative system also works with social welfare agencies to help rehabilitate the released prisoners and see that they receive proper health care. Up to now, a total of 46 homeless prisoners have been rehabilitated through this programme.
