Nationwide hunt for Colombian prisoners

Prison authorities in Colombia say a nationwide hunt is underway to track down seven prisoners who failed to return to jail after being given leave to spend the new year with their families.

The inmates' temporary release is part of a new law introduced in December to reduce prison overcrowding.

It includes the issuing of weekend passes and the release of some prisoners who have served sixty-per-cent of their sentence.

Correspondents say the law has proved controversial and sparked an intense debate in Colombia.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service