United States (US) President Donald Trump on Monday (January 20) granted a blanket pardon to almost all involved in the 2021 Capitol Hill riots, American media reported. President Trump pardoned about 1,500 of his supporters and commuted the sentences of 14 others.
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In a proclamation posted on the White House website, Trump said, "This proclamation ends a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years and begins a process of national reconciliation."
A report by the New York Times (NYT) said that the proclamation meant that everyone prosecuted by the Justice Department, from the plotters imprisoned for seditious conspiracy and felons convicted of assaulting cops to those who merely trespassed on the restricted grounds on January 6, 2021, would soon be released from incarceration if they were still in federal custody.
Who were the accused whose sentences were commuted?
According to the proclamation, the 14 accused were identified as Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Thomas Caldwell, Jessica Watkins, Roberto Minuta, Edward Vallejo, David Moerschel, Joseph Hackett, Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, Dominic Pezzola, and Jeremy Bertino.
Trump ordered his attorney general to ensure that all individuals convicted of offences related to events that occurred at or near the Capitol on January 6, 2021, who were currently held in prison were released immediately.
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"I further direct the Attorney General to pursue dismissal with prejudice to the government of all pending indictments against individuals for their conduct related to the events at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021," the proclamation added.
Former militia leader released after Trump's order
Following the proclamation issued by Trump, Stewart Rhodes, the former leader of the Oath Keepers militia and one of the organisers of the attack on the Capitol, was released from prison.
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Rhodes, who had his 18-year sentence commuted, emerged from the federal prison in Cumberland, Maryland just after midnight on Tuesday.
(With inputs from agencies)