Berlin's early release: the annual Christmas pardon tradition

A controversial yet traditional practice occurs in Germany a few weeks prior to Christmas. The local judiciary pardons prisoners, particularly those who have behaved well or are nearing the end of their sentences. Mostly, it involves freeing individuals convicted for theft.

A little over a month before Christmas, the first lot of criminals in Berlin have been allowed to leave their detention due to the so-called 'Christmas amnesty'.

This practice of pardoning convicted individuals ahead of Christmas is a longstanding tradition in Germany. Last year, over a thousand (1056 to be precise) criminals nationwide, including 170 from Berlin alone, were the recipients of this merciful act. As stated by Deutsche Welle, the majority had been convicted for theft and robbery. Other cases included fraudulent offenses and those serving sentences for unpaid fines (for example, for using public transport without a valid ticket).

This year, reports the Bavarian newspaper 'Münchner Merkur', the number of criminals to be released in Berlin will be drastically less, with only 90 expected to be released. The Ministry has not officially provided a reason for this significant decrease in the Christmas amnesty figures. However, it has highlighted that these are preliminary figures, with the final count to be confirmed in the new year.

Similar to the previous year, the majority of those released ahead of time were facing charges for theft. The second largest group consisted of fraudsters, serving prison terms for different types of fraud.

The Christmas amnesty is granted to criminals who have demonstrated good behaviour during their time in prison and those close to completing their sentences. The primary aim of this early release is to aid in the prisoners' reintegration into society and offer them the chance to celebrate a pleasant Christmas holiday.