ROSTOV-ON-DON. Sept 1 (Interfax-AVN) - During an amnesty declared by the Russian State Duma for Chechnya, 171 people have voluntarily left illegal armed formations, Russian Deputy Prosecutor General Sergei Fridinsky told Interfax on Monday.
"A decision has been made to free 143 of these people from criminal responsibility. The check of the remaining 28 guerillas is continuing," Fridinsky said.
He said 64 out of the 171 former members of illegal armed units have voluntarily given up their weapons and munitions.
Speaking about a possible extension of the amnesty period, Fridinsky said that the amnesty decree made public on June 6 is valid for six months. "At the present stage we are speaking about intermediate results of the amnesty," he stressed.
According to the deputy prosecutor general, rebels were allowed to show up at law-enforcement agencies voluntarily and declare their intention to quit illegal armed formations until September 1. "As to all other participants in military operations in Chechnya, the amnesty is going on successfully," Fridinsky said.