The head of state has granted pardons to 809 inmates from different prisons across the country, the Presidency of the Republic announced yesterday in a statement.

"In determining this measure of clemency, the head of state was moved by the spirit of humanism, respect and protection of the dignity of the human person and by the solidarity that characterizes the democratic rule of law and Mozambican society," the statement quoted by the Lusa news agency said.

According to the presidential document, Filipe Nyusi was also "motivated by the firm conviction of man's capacity for regeneration, rehabilitation and social reintegration", at a time when Christmas celebrations are being prepared.

Penitentiaries are struggling with overcrowding, housing around 21,000 prisoners, against an installed capacity of 4,498 people, according to the most recent data from the Ministry of Justice released in 2020.

It should be noted that the Amnesty and Pardon Law does not apply to those convicted of voluntary homicide, sexual violation of a minor, kidnapping, terrorism, drug trafficking, embezzlement, passive corruption, bribery, corruption, money laundering and attacks on state security.

Recipients of amnesties and pardons must not commit any new crimes within a period of five years, under penalty of serving the remainder of the sentence for which clemency was granted, in addition to the sentence for the subsequent offense.