The US President Joe Biden announced the pardon of 39 people and the commutation of sentences for 1 500 prisoners serving long prison terms.
This is stated on the website of the White House.
Biden clarified that the 39 people pardoned by him have successfully undergone rehabilitation and "demonstrated a willingness to make their communities stronger and safer".
“I am also commuting the sentences of nearly 1 500 people who are serving long prison terms — many of whom would have received shorter terms if they had been charged under current laws, policies and practices. These people, who were placed under house arrest during the COVID pandemic, have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities and proven that they deserve a second chance," the US president said.
Biden added that his administration will continue to consider clemency requests in the coming weeks.
The Associated Press called Bidenʼs decision the largest single-day pardon in modern history.
Those pardoned Thursday were convicted of non-violent crimes, such as drug offenses, and had turned their lives around, White House lawyers said. Among them is a woman who led rapid response teams during natural disasters; a church deacon who worked as an addiction counselor and youth counselor; PhD student in molecular biological sciences and a decorated war veteran.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.