Azerbaijan begins large-scale prisoner amnesty affecting over 20,000 people

Azerbaijan on Monday began the implementation of a mass amnesty act initiated by President Ilham Aliyev, which is expected to be the largest in the country's history in terms of the number of individuals affected.

The Ministry of Justice started the release process across various penitentiary facilities following the parliament’s approval of the presidential initiative. The amnesty is projected to apply to more than 20,000 people, including veterans of the 2020 Karabakh war and the 2023 anti-terror operations, as well as their close relatives.

According to the decree, over 5,000 inmates will be released from prison, while thousands of others will see their sentences reduced or alternative punishments terminated.

The act also prioritizes women, minors, and elderly convicts over the age of 60. The full implementation of the amnesty is expected to take four months.

N.Tebrizli