Officials say the prison is almost twice as large as the capacity earlier this month.
Iraq has released more than 19,000 prisoners under a wiped pardon law designed to ease pressure on the overcrowded prison system, including inmates convicted of being members of ISIL (ISIS).
The move would provide legal reprieve to some individuals convicted of terrorist allegations, judicial authorities said Tuesday.
The law also halted all executions, including former ISIL members. After cleaning the country in 2014, the group once ruled almost a third of Iraq’s territory, and acquired major cities including Mosul, Tikrit and Fallujah before being defeated in 2017.
Their year of control killed thousands, ousted hundreds of thousands, destroyed the Yazidi population, and left the vast area in abandoned. Many members were arrested for Iraqi forces seized the area held by ISIL.
The amnesty law enacted in January allows certain convicted prisoners of armed groups to seek release, retrial, or dismissal of a lawsuit. However, those who commit murder crimes related to “extremism” are excluded from eligibility.
The law is strongly supported by Sunni lawmakers, many of whom have long argued that anti-terrorism laws have disproportionately targeted Sunni communities in the years since Iraq tightened its grip on ISIL.
Detainees are permitted to request a retrial if they claim that confessions were obtained through torture or coercion during detention.
After a meeting chaired by the Supreme Judicial Council President FAEQ Zeidan at Baghdad, authorities confirmed that 19,381 prisoners had been released from January to April.
According to a statement issued after the meeting, the total number of individuals benefiting from the law, including those who have been granted bail or arrest warrants, or those whose arrest warrants have been lifted, is now 93,597.
Reform comes from putting pressure on Iraq’s criminal system. Justice Minister Khalid Schwani said this month that the country’s 31 prisons carry around 65,000 prisoners.
“When we took office, the overcrowding was 300%,” he told The Associated Press. “After two years of reform, we reduced it to 200%. Our goal is to reduce it to 100% in line with international standards by next year.”
Thousands more remain under the control of Iraqi security forces, but have not yet been transferred to the Ministry of Justice due to lack of space.
Among those announced under the new pardon are individuals who have been convicted of non-violent crimes, such as corruption, theft and drug use.
Iraq is facing international criticism of the use of the death penalty. Rights groups condemned large-scale executions and uncertain legal proceedings, including implementing death penalties without notifying the prisoner’s family or legal representatives.
Last month, Amnesty International raised concerns after at least 13 men were killed at Nasirya Central Prison in southern Tikal following a conviction for “overly widespread and ambiguous accusations of terrorism.”
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