Jakarta, May 31 -- The Indonesian Ministry of Immigration and Correctional Affairs has granted special remissions and sentence reductions to 1,052 Buddhist inmates and juvenile inmates across Indonesia to mark this year's Vesak Day.

"This is a form of state recognition for inmates and juvenile inmates who have demonstrated positive behavioral changes and actively participated in correctional programs," Minister of Immigration and Correctional Affairs Agus Andrianto said in a statement here in Jakarta on Sunday.

Of the total 1,052 recipients, 1,041 among them received Special Remission I, granting them a partial sentence reduction; while six others received Special Remission II and were immediately released. Meanwhile, five juvenile inma...