Francisca Van Dunem responded to several deputies, during the discussion in the specialty of the state budget for 2021, who wanted to know if the government intended to renew the possibility of more prisoners being released, allowing a new internal reorganisation of prisons, during this second wave of the pandemic.

"The Government does not plan to present any further proposals to release people in an emergency context," said the minister, who at the beginning of the pandemic advocated the release of detainees.

The exceptional regime for the release of prisoners, within the framework of the pandemic allowed the release of 1,867 prisoners in April, according to data from the prison services. It allowed the granting of a partial pardon of sentences up to two years, defined a special pardon regime, authorised extraordinary administrative departures of prisoners and provided for the exceptional anticipation of parole.