Opposition MP asks for answers on convict releases
New Democracy lawmaker Nikitas Kaklamanis on Tuesday submitted a question to Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis and Alternate Minister for Citizens’ Protection Nikos Toskas regarding the number of inmates released from custody under a decision by the previous justice minister for easing over-crowding at Greece’s prisons.
Kakalmanis argued that the release of hundreds of inmates under a law introduced by Nikos Paraskevopoulos in 2015 and newer regulations by Kontonis need to be considered as a factor contributing to a spike in violent crimes over the past year, especially as a number of inmates who benefited from the law and were released early had been convicted of serious felonies.
The conservative lawmaker asked for a detailed list of all the inmates who have been released since January 2015 while serving sentences for serious crimes, as well as those who were granted furlough and have violated the terms of their parole.
“The protection of citizens comes first and foremost in any democracy and should not be put at stake for the sake of any left-wing obsession,” Kaklamanis said, adding that the government needs to introduce tighter controls on inmates who are released before serving their sentence and who are granted furlough.
