IVASHKEVICH TO SERVE FULL TERM. SUPREME COURT ISSUES STATEMENT CONTRADICTING LAW ON AMNESTY

The Law "On Amnesty to Some Categories of Individuals, Who Committed Crimes" came into force on 17 July 2002. Article 12 of the Law says: "The Law has an effect on individuals, who had committed crimes before the Law came into force, individuals, both already convicted and still not convicted by courts of the Republic in Belarus, and individuals, whose judgements are being revised in cassation or supervisory order".
Recently the plenum of the Supreme Court made a statement, which says: "Article 9 of the Law on Amnesty should be applied only to individuals, convicted before the Law took effect".
Article 9 of the Law on Amnesty lists categories of individuals, whose terms could be shortened by one year. Viktar Ivashkevich, convicted for 2 years of forced labor, fell under this article of the Law. It seems, now he will have to serve the full term.