freed from their cell walls early, a total of 31 inmates in the heart of Germany - Hamburg - are enjoying their newfound freedom this festive season. As stated by the city's justice authorities, these individuals were serving sentences that would have ended between December 1 and January 6 anyway. This early release is a thoughtful gesture, allowing prisoners to wrap up any personal or administrative matters before Christmas.
The tradition of early releases around Christmas was recently enshrined in the Hamburg Prison Act in 2018. Instead of the authorities granting clemency upon individual request, the prison authorities now proactively identify eligible candidates for a maximum of five weeks of early freedom.
The criteria for this early release include serving a custodial sentence or a substitute custodial sentence of less than one year. Additionally, the individual must have spent at least three months in prison and have a clean record. Prisoners on the brink of expulsion, deportation, or extradition are exempt from this opportunity.
Even those who are spending Christmas behind bars can take comfort in a hearty, festive meal. The menu usually features a variety of dishes, including poultry, game, and vegetarian options. Christmas parties are held in most prisons during the Advent period, with one exception at the Glasmoor Prison's open facility, where inmates choose to spend their days off with family instead.
At the moment, around 2,100 people are kept in Hamburg's prisons, roughly a third of whom are awaiting trial. Half of all the inmates are foreign nationals.
Embracing this long-standing festive tradition in Hamburg, the city's judicial authority allows qualified prisoners to serve their sentences outside the penal system during this special time of year. Despite the enticing Christmas menu in Hamburg prisons, spending Christmas behind bars can be especially challenging for those who don't receive early release.
Sources: and (are related to public comment periods for proposed rule makings and early warning measures, respectively), and (provides insights on Armin Meiwes, a German cannibal who was convicted of manslaughter and later murder).
To clarify the specifics about the Hamburg Prison Act of 2018 and its criteria for early release, you will need to consult the actual text of the Hamburg Prison Act or legal documents from Hamburg, Germany. The provided sources do not contain this information.
