Iraq
Iraqi Justice Minister Khalid Shwani (right) meets Rome’s Ambassador to Baghdad Niccolo Fontana (left) in Baghdad on August 24, 2025. Photo: Iraqi News Agency (INA)
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq may soon sign a prisoner transfer deal with Italy, Justice Minister Khalid Shwani said after meeting with Rome’s Ambassador to Baghdad Niccolo Fontana in the Iraqi capital city on Sunday.
“The meeting discussed ways to develop bilateral relations between Iraq and Italy in the judicial and legal fields, in a way that achieves the common interests of the two friendly countries,” read a statement from Shwani’s office.
The two sides also spoke of “the possibility of concluding a cooperation agreement on the transfer of prisoners serving custodial sentences between the Republic of Iraq and the Republic of Italy, in accordance with applicable laws.”
Shwani said Iraq is committed to expanding judicial cooperation with friendly countries to strengthen justice, improve institutional performance, and build mutual understanding on shared issues.
A prisoner swap agreement between governments is a bilateral deal allowing citizens of each country who are serving prison sentences abroad to be transferred to their home country to complete their terms.
The purpose is not to release prisoners but to let them serve their custodial sentences closer to their families and under their own country’s prison system.
Italy maintains an embassy in Baghdad and a Consulate General in Erbil, which was upgraded in 2024 to strengthen ties with the Kurdistan Region. The missions provide consular services, promote cultural and economic cooperation, and support Italian nationals in Iraq. The Embassy of Italy in Baghdad also manages political and diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Iraq is represented in Italy through its embassy in Rome, which supports Iraqi citizens and promotes political, cultural, and economic interests. The embassies and consulates serve as key channels for advancing bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade, judicial collaboration, security, and cultural exchange.
Unconfirmed data predict more than 10,000 Iraqis live in Italy.
Italy has actively supported and trained Iraqi armed forces and Kurdish Peshmerga forces, as a member of the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS).
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