A historic amnesty act initiated by President Ilham Aliyev has begun at Azerbaijan’s Correctional Facility No. 4 for women, officials said.
Today, 22 female inmates were released under the initiative, attended by Human Rights Commissioner Sabina Aliyeva and Milli Majlis deputy Zahid Oruj, News.Az reports, citing Report.
The amnesty applies to a wide range of individuals, including veterans of Azerbaijan’s Patriotic War and the September 19–20, 2023 anti-terror operation, relatives of fallen or missing soldiers, those disabled by military provocations, women, seniors aged 60 and above, and people who committed minor crimes as juveniles.
The law allows for release, reduced sentences, or shortened remaining terms for convicts with less serious or non-dangerous offenses.
This is expected to be the largest amnesty in Azerbaijan’s history, potentially affecting more than 20,000 people. Over 5,000 prisoners will be released, 3,000 will see reduced sentences, and thousands more will benefit from other measures. The full implementation will take around four months.