Latest news with #FaeqZeidan
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iraq frees over 19,000 prisoners under new amnesty, including some ex-ISIL
Iraq has released more than 19,000 prisoners under a sweeping amnesty law designed to relieve pressure on its overcrowded prison system, including inmates convicted of being members of ISIL (ISIS). The move offers legal reprieves to some individuals convicted on terrorism-related charges, judicial authorities said on Tuesday. The law has also halted all executions, including for former ISIL members. The group once controlled nearly a third of Iraq's territory after sweeping across the country in 2014, capturing major cities, including Mosul, Tikrit and Fallujah, before they were vanquished in 2017. The years of their control killed thousands of people, displaced hundreds of thousands, decimated the Yazidi population and left vast areas in ruins. Many members were arrested as Iraqi forces retook ISIL-held areas. The amnesty law, enacted in January, allows certain prisoners convicted of belonging to armed groups to seek release, a retrial or have their cases dismissed. However, those found guilty of killings linked to 'extremism' are excluded from eligibility. The legislation was strongly backed by Sunni lawmakers, many of whom have long argued that anti-terrorism laws disproportionately targeted Sunni communities in the years after Iraq's clampdown on ISIL. Detainees will now be permitted to request retrials if they claim their confessions were obtained through torture or coercion while in custody. After a meeting in Baghdad chaired by Supreme Judicial Council President Faeq Zeidan, officials confirmed that 19,381 prisoners had been freed from January to total number of individuals benefitting from the law – including those sentenced in absentia, granted bail or with arrest warrants lifted – now stands at 93,597, according to a statement issued after the meeting. The reforms come amid mounting pressure on Iraq's penal system. Justice Minister Khalid Shwani said this month that the country's 31 prisons held about 65,000 inmates – nearly double their intended capacity. 'When we took office, overcrowding stood at 300 percent,' he told The Associated Press news agency. 'After two years of reform, we've reduced it to 200 percent. Our goal is to bring that down to 100 percent by next year in line with international standards.' Thousands more people remain in the custody of Iraq's security forces but have yet to be transferred to the Ministry of Justice due to lack of space. Among those released under the new amnesty are individuals convicted of nonviolent crimes such as corruption, theft and drug use. Iraq has faced international criticism for its use of the death penalty. Rights groups have condemned mass executions and opaque legal processes, including carrying out death sentences without notifying prisoners' families or legal representatives. Last month, Amnesty International expressed concern after at least 13 men were put to death in Nasiriya Central Prison in the southern governorate of Thi Qar following their convictions on 'overly broad and vague terrorism charges'.
13-05-2025
- Politics
Iraq says more than 19,000 prisoners have been released under a new amnesty law
BAGHDAD -- More than 19,000 prisoners have been released in Iraq so far this year under a broad new amnesty law that eases prison crowding and frees some people convicted of terrorism-related crimes, judicial authorities said Tuesday. The amnesty covers some people convicted of the terror-related offense of membership in the Islamic State group, which had been seen by Sunni Muslims as disproportionately targeting their community. However, anyone convicted of a killing in connection with terrorism-related charges is not eligible for the amnesty. Other crimes covered under the amnesty include corruption, theft and drug use. The number of releases were announced following a meeting Tuesday in Baghdad among top judicial officials led by the head of the Supreme Judicial Council Faeq Zeidan to discuss the implementation of the new law, passed earlier this year. A statement released after the meeting said that 19,381 inmates were released from prisons during the first four months of the year. It added that the overall number of beneficiaries of the law, including those sentenced in absentia, those released on bail and those with outstanding arrest warrants, reached 93,597. Iraq's prisons face a crisis of overcrowding, with the justice minister saying earlier this month that the country's 31 prisons hold about 65,000 inmates despite being built to hold only about half that number. Thousands more detainees remain in the custody of security agencies but have not yet been transferred to the Justice Ministry due to a lack of prison capacity. Among provisions of the new law adopted in January is that some people convicted of terrorism charges can ask for a retrial if they assert that their confessions were taken under duress while in detention. The general amnesty law had strong support from Sunni lawmakers who argue that their community has been targeted by terrorism charges, with confessions sometimes extracted under torture. Thousands of detainees held in the country are linked to the Islamic State group, which was defeated in Iraq in 2017. Some former members of the extremist group were executed for their acts while they controlled large parts of the country. All executions have been halted under the general amnesty law.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Iraq says more than 19,000 prisoners have been released under a new amnesty law
Iraq says more than 19,000 prisoners have been released under a new amnesty law (Photo: AP) More than 19,000 prisoners have been released in Iraq so far this year under a broad new amnesty law that eases prison crowding and frees some people convicted of terrorism-related crimes, judicial authorities said Tuesday. The amnesty covers some people convicted of the terror-related offense of membership in the Islamic State group, which had been seen by Sunni Muslims as disproportionately targeting their community. However, anyone convicted of a killing in connection with terrorism-related charges is not eligible for the amnesty. Other crimes covered under the amnesty include corruption, theft and drug use. The number of releases were announced following a meeting Tuesday in Baghdad among top judicial officials led by the head of the Supreme Judicial Council Faeq Zeidan to discuss the implementation of the new law, passed earlier this year. A statement released after the meeting said that 19,381 inmates were released from prisons during the first four months of the year. It added that the overall number of beneficiaries of the law, including those sentenced in absentia, those released on bail and those with outstanding arrest warrants, reached 93,597. Iraq's prisons face a crisis of overcrowding, with the justice minister saying earlier this month that the country's 31 prisons hold about 65,000 inmates despite being built to hold only about half that number. Thousands more detainees remain in the custody of security agencies but have not yet been transferred to the Justice Ministry due to a lack of prison capacity. Among provisions of the new law adopted in January is that some people convicted of terrorism charges can ask for a retrial if they assert that their confessions were taken under duress while in detention. The general amnesty law had strong support from Sunni lawmakers who argue that their community has been targeted by terrorism charges, with confessions sometimes extracted under torture. Thousands of detainees held in the country are linked to the Islamic State group, which was defeated in Iraq in 2017. Some former members of the extremist group were executed for their acts while they controlled large parts of the country. All executions have been halted under the general amnesty law. Iraq has faced criticism from human rights groups over its application of the death penalty and particularly over mass executions carried out without prior notice to lawyers or family members of the prisoners.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iraq says more than 19,000 prisoners have been released under a new amnesty law
BAGHDAD (AP) — More than 19,000 prisoners have been released in Iraq so far this year under a broad new amnesty law that eases prison crowding and frees some people convicted of terrorism-related crimes, judicial authorities said Tuesday. The amnesty covers some people convicted of the terror-related offense of membership in the Islamic State group, which had been seen by Sunni Muslims as disproportionately targeting their community. However, anyone convicted of a killing in connection with terrorism-related charges is not eligible for the amnesty. Other crimes covered under the amnesty include corruption, theft and drug use. The number of releases were announced following a meeting Tuesday in Baghdad among top judicial officials led by the head of the Supreme Judicial Council Faeq Zeidan to discuss the implementation of the new law, passed earlier this year. A statement released after the meeting said that 19,381 inmates were released from prisons during the first four months of the year. It added that the overall number of beneficiaries of the law, including those sentenced in absentia, those released on bail and those with outstanding arrest warrants, reached 93,597. Iraq's prisons face a crisis of overcrowding, with the justice minister saying earlier this month that the country's 31 prisons hold about 65,000 inmates despite being built to hold only about half that number. Thousands more detainees remain in the custody of security agencies but have not yet been transferred to the Justice Ministry due to a lack of prison capacity. Among provisions of the new law adopted in January is that some people convicted of terrorism charges can ask for a retrial if they assert that their confessions were taken under duress while in detention. The general amnesty law had strong support from Sunni lawmakers who argue that their community has been targeted by terrorism charges, with confessions sometimes extracted under torture. Thousands of detainees held in the country are linked to the Islamic State group, which was defeated in Iraq in 2017. Some former members of the extremist group were executed for their acts while they controlled large parts of the country. All executions have been halted under the general amnesty law. Iraq has faced criticism from human rights groups over its application of the death penalty and particularly over mass executions carried out without prior notice to lawyers or family members of the prisoners.
Winnipeg Free Press
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Iraq says more than 19,000 prisoners have been released under a new amnesty law
BAGHDAD (AP) — More than 19,000 prisoners have been released in Iraq so far this year under a broad new amnesty law that eases prison crowding and frees some people convicted of terrorism-related crimes, judicial authorities said Tuesday. The amnesty covers some people convicted of the terror-related offense of membership in the Islamic State group, which had been seen by Sunni Muslims as disproportionately targeting their community. However, anyone convicted of a killing in connection with terrorism-related charges is not eligible for the amnesty. Other crimes covered under the amnesty include corruption, theft and drug use. The number of releases were announced following a meeting Tuesday in Baghdad among top judicial officials led by the head of the Supreme Judicial Council Faeq Zeidan to discuss the implementation of the new law, passed earlier this year. A statement released after the meeting said that 19,381 inmates were released from prisons during the first four months of the year. It added that the overall number of beneficiaries of the law, including those sentenced in absentia, those released on bail and those with outstanding arrest warrants, reached 93,597. Iraq's prisons face a crisis of overcrowding, with the justice minister saying earlier this month that the country's 31 prisons hold about 65,000 inmates despite being built to hold only about half that number. Thousands more detainees remain in the custody of security agencies but have not yet been transferred to the Justice Ministry due to a lack of prison capacity. Among provisions of the new law adopted in January is that some people convicted of terrorism charges can ask for a retrial if they assert that their confessions were taken under duress while in detention. The general amnesty law had strong support from Sunni lawmakers who argue that their community has been targeted by terrorism charges, with confessions sometimes extracted under torture. Thousands of detainees held in the country are linked to the Islamic State group, which was defeated in Iraq in 2017. Some former members of the extremist group were executed for their acts while they controlled large parts of the country. All executions have been halted under the general amnesty law. Iraq has faced criticism from human rights groups over its application of the death penalty and particularly over mass executions carried out without prior notice to lawyers or family members of the prisoners.
