New legislation seeks to tighten prison furlough, transfer rules

New legislation drafted by the Citizens' Protection Ministry seeks to crack down on what it describes as "mounting abuses" of the prison leave and transfer system.

Under the provisions of the new legislation, prisoners will have to meet much stricter criteria in order to be granted furlough, while leave rights will also be linked to the severity of the crime for which prisoners are convicted.

A similar philosophy also governs transfers, which are usually sought by prisoners wishing to be moved to a facility that is closer to home or where conditions are better. Under the new law, prisoners convicted of terrorism-related crimes, for example, will not be allowed to file for a transfer.

Transfers, meanwhile, will also be prohibited for prisoners who have faced disciplinary action during their incarceration or who have previously violated the terms of furlough.

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