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Malawi President Pardons Prisoners to Reduce COVID-19 Spread

Lameck Masina

   BLANTYRE - Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera pardoned 499 inmates
   Friday as part of an effort to deal with COVID-19 inside the country's
   overcrowded prisons. But rights activists say the number of pardoned
   prisoners is too low.

   The action comes a few days after prisoner rights groups wrote
   President Lazarus Chakwera asking him to consider releasing some
   prisoners to decongest prisons.
   Malawi's prisons recently reported an increase in COVID-19 cases that
   forced authorities to suspend family visits with inmates.

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