President Emmerson Mnangagwa granted clemency over 4,000 Zimbabweans prisoners, including some who were on death row, in an Independence Day amnesty announced on Thursday.
The country commemorated 44 years of Independence from white minority rule.
This is the second time in less than a year the president has granted amnesty to inmates. Most of the beneficiaries this time are women, elderly and juvenile prisoners as well those who are terminally ill and a few on death row.
The clemency order also sets free those who have had their death sentences commuted to life provided they have spent at least 20 years behind bars. Female prisoners who had served at least a third of their sentence by Independence Day are also being released as are juvenile inmates and those with disabilities who have served the same period. Inmates aged 60 and older who have served a tenth of their sentences will also be released, according to the order.
The prisoners are being released in batches across the country.
Tellingly, those jailed for “specified” offenses, iincluding sexual offenses, robbery, public violence, unlawful possession of firearms, human trafficking and theft or vandalism of electricity and telecommunications infrastructure will not be a beneficiary.
The amnesty order also commuted the death sentences of those who have been on death row for at least 10 years to life sentences.
Zimbabwe is among scores of countries who still have a death penalty for crimes. However, it hasn’t used it in almost 20 years.
The president, who has been vocal about abolishing the death penalty, has already sent a bill to Parliament to repeal it and is awaiting approval.
He set free almost the same number of inmates last May, then aimed at decongesting the country’s overcrowded prisons.