550 foreigners are serving time in Iraq's prisons

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - There are about 550 foreigners serving prison terms in Iraq, an official from the Ministry of Justice told Rudaw on Saturday.

 

"Around 550 foreign nationals from countries that are members of the Arab League and other countries are in the prisons of Iraq's Justice Ministry," said spokesperson Ahmed Laibi.

 

A recent amnesty law does not apply to foreign inmates, he said.

 

In January, the Iraqi parliament passed an amendment to the General Amnesty Law, as part of a legislative package that also included amendments to the Personal Status Law and a property restitution law.

 

The judiciary announced earlier this month that over 30,000 inmates have been released under the General Amnesty Law.

 

More than 68,000 people are jailed in Iraq, convicted on multiple charges, including murder, theft, terrorism, forgery, corruption and drug trafficking, Laibi said.

 

Iraq has 30 prisons.

 

These figures exclude the Kurdistan Region’s prisons and persons held by security forces and various armed groups across Iraq.