A Cypriot businessman helped 12 convicts by paying off their debts to the government. They are to be released from prison today so they can spend the Easter with their families. In an act of generosity the businessman who wishes to remain anonymous, paid off the debts of the 12 men and also offered them employment in case they want to. The 12 were serving sentences regarding unpaid fines for warrants such as social insurance, traffic, urban and spousal maintenance. Among them one is a father of a disabled child who is in jail for an unpaid debt of just 400 euro something which is not a unique case as 3 to 4 people are being imprisoned in Cyprus every day over debts of trivial amounts. The Department of Prisons and the Law Office of the Republic are trying to solve this problem.

Moreover, another 44 detainees (20 of which are Cypriots and the rest foreigners) will be released today after being awarded the annual Easter presidential pardon. In the meantime the Police is conducting a fundraiser among its members to raise money in order to adopt poor families which will be provided with food and clothing in the form of coupons.