ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq’s Ministry of Justice said Friday that 761 inmates were released from correctional facilities across the country during the month of November.

In a statement, the ministry said the Iraqi Correctional Directorate released 761 inmates in total. Of those, 438 were freed under the General Amnesty Law, while 323 others were released after completing their sentences and fulfilling all required legal procedures.

The ministry said the Correctional Directorate continues to follow up on release procedures and carries them out only after all legal steps are completed, emphasizing its commitment to professionalism and adherence to legal standards.

Iraq began enforcing an amended General Amnesty Law in February, after it was passed earlier in the year as part of political agreements with Sunni parties in the ruling coalition. It entered implementation in February after being published in the Official Gazette. 

The law changes how terrorism-related charges are defined, particularly for thousands of Sunnis arrested during the war against the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2014.

Iraq in October freed 666 inmates under the provisions of the law.

Justice officials say the law has played a major role in reducing overcrowding in prisons. More than 33,000 inmates have been released under the law so far, according to the Supreme Judicial Council, while nearly 137,000 people have been covered by its provisions, including suspects with arrest warrants, detainees on bail, and those convicted in absentia.

Human rights groups have long raised concerns about prison conditions in Iraq, citing severe overcrowding, aging facilities, and weak oversight.