[JURIST] Indonesia [JURIST news archive] will release two prisoners convicted of the 2002 bombings that killed over 200 people at a Bali nightclub [BBC report], prison officials said Monday. The convicts will be freed Tuesday to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid ul-Fitr [BBC backgrounder], the end of Ramadan [BBC backgrounder]. Indonesia has a prisoner remission program for various holidays including August 17, marking the country's independence from Dutch colonial rule, and religious holidays, such as Christmas and Eid ul-Fitr. The Indonesian remission program has been strongly criticized by foreign governments for years, including countries such as Australia whose citizens have been victims of Indonesian terrorists. In August, there was consternation in Australia [Melbourne Age report] when another prisoner sentenced in connection with the 2002 attacks walked free after having his sentence celebratorily cut by three months. In response to these complaints, the Indonesian government recently passed a regulation which toughens the standards for remission of prison sentences [Xinhua report] for "serious" crimes, such as drug trafficking and terrorism.

Sirojul Munir was convicted of harboring two of the bombing masterminds. Details surrounding the second inmate, Mudjarot, and his conviction are not available. Both men were scheduled to be released from prison in less than two months. Three of the prisoners connected with the bombings are on death row and have recently been granted a stay of execution [JURIST report] while they await a final appeal. Reuters has more.