38K+ inmates freed as Iraqi judiciary enforces Amnesty Law

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Nearly 39,000 prisoners have been released under Iraq’s amended General Amnesty Law, the Higher Judicial Council’s updated data showed on Tuesday.

The Council said 38,787 inmates were freed from prisons and detention centers, while 155,553 others benefited from adjusted arrest warrants, summons orders, or in-absentia rulings. The recovered funds totaled 81,035,490,082 dinars and $34,347,014.44.

On 21 January 2025, parliament passed the amended law, and the Higher Judicial Council instructed courts to begin implementation shortly afterward.

Originally enacted in 2016 and revised in early 2025, the General Amnesty Law was expanded to ease prison overcrowding, resolve longstanding cases, and encourage financial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

Read more: Beyond "Innocent People": unpacking Iraq's New Amnesty Law