Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani pardons 17 inmates in ongoing clemency process

ERBIL – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani granted a special pardon on Sunday to 17 inmates in the region’s correctional facilities as part of an ongoing clemency initiative, officials said.

The pardon was issued under Article 10, Paragraph 6 of the Kurdistan Region Presidency Law No. 1 of 2005, according to Delshad Shahab, spokesperson for the presidency. Order No. 336 includes inmates who have served the majority of their sentences, with many facing health challenges.

“This pardon, issued by President Barzani, includes 17 inmates, most of whom have completed the majority of their sentences and whose health conditions are unstable,” Shahab said in a statement.

The decision followed the recommendations of a joint committee, which Barzani formed with members from the Presidency, the Prime Minister’s Office, relevant ministries, the judiciary, and the Kurdistan Region Human Rights Commission. The committee reviewed prison conditions and the status of inmates, particularly those no longer considered a threat to society.

The pardon is part of broader efforts to reform the correctional system in the region, Shahab said.

On Sept. 2, 2024, President Barzani issued special pardons reducing sentences for several convicts, including journalists and religious figures.