Nearly 28,000 released under Iraq’s revised amnesty law

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council said Wednesday that nearly 28,000 individuals have been released from prisons and detention centers under the country’s amended General Amnesty Law, which has also led to the recovery of more than 22 billion dinars (about $17 million).

According to official data, 27,974 people have been released to date. The law also applies to a broader group of 119,315 individuals, including those with outstanding arrest or summons warrants, those released on bail, and people convicted in absentia.

Authorities said financial penalties and illegally obtained funds were reviewed under the amnesty process, resulting in the recovery of 22.3 billion dinars.

Originally passed in 2016 and amended in 2025, the General Amnesty Law was designed to address wrongful convictions and arbitrary detentions. It excludes individuals convicted of terrorism, violent crimes, or drug offenses.

The 2025 amendment redefined the criteria for terrorist affiliation and allowed retrials in cases involving confessions obtained under duress or through secret informants. Sunni blocs have championed the law, saying it corrects bias against their communities, while Shia parties have warned it could enable the release of individuals involved in serious crimes if not applied cautiously.