15K+ Iraqi prisoners freed in 2025

Shafaq News– Baghdad

Iraq released nearly 16,000 inmates from its prisons in 2025, the Ministry of Justice announced on Sunday.

In a statement, the ministry said 10,931 of those freed were covered by the General Amnesty Law, while another 4,983 through other judicial decisions. It noted that each release followed a thorough verification process and coordination with relevant agencies.

The ministry’s statement comes months after the Supreme Judicial Council reported that 35,203 prisoners have been released under the General Amnesty Law since it took effect.

Originally enacted in 2016 and revised in early 2025, the General Amnesty Law was expanded to ease prison overcrowding, resolve longstanding cases, and encourage financial settlements. It excludes terrorism-related killings, violent offenses, and major drug trafficking, while offering relief for minor crimes, financial disputes, and procedural violations.

Read more: Iraqi prisons overcrowded, plagued by diseases, drugs, and torture, report finds