Azerbaijan has begun implementing an amnesty act adopted by the Milli Majlis on December 19 at the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev.
The amnesty, described by officials as the largest in scale, is being carried out across facilities of the Penitentiary Service under the Ministry of Justice and is expected to cover approximately 20,000 individuals.
Implementation of the act started on December 22. Among those benefiting from the amnesty are women and juveniles, including inmates in specialized correctional institutions, who are being released from the remaining portions of their sentences.
Officials said the process is being conducted in stages, with the participation of representatives of relevant state institutions, lawmakers, and the country’s human rights ombudsman.
The amnesty is framed by authorities as part of broader humanitarian and legal measures within Azerbaijan’s criminal justice system.
