Three dangerous inmates from the maximum-security prison in Giurgiu, Southern Romania, were released from prison by mistake, based on the new law that provides a 6-day sentence reduction for each 30 days a detainee spends in improper conditions.

One of them was sentenced to prison for rape, one for robbery, and one for human trafficking, according to the local media. Two of them were later found and brought back to prison, but the authorities are still trying to find the third one, reports local Mediafax.

The Giurgiu prison director Marius Fulga said that the three inmates were released due to an error in calculating the days for each detainee. This was mainly the result of the very high volume of work in this period.

The three inmates shouldn’t have benefited from the law on early release because they were serving their sentences in conditions that meet European standards.

The law that provides a 6-day sentence reduction for each 30 days a detainee spends in improper conditions came into force on October 19. Almost 530 detainees were released in the first day, and over 3,300 have the right to benefit from early release based on this law. Among those released in the first days, there were also some 320 thieves and robbers.

Romanian justice minister hopes new law on early release will not increase crime rate

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com