More than 2,500 prisoners have been released across Iraq under the country’s general amnesty law, the justice ministry announced on Thursday.

Ahmed Laibi, spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Justice, confirmed the releases in a statement, saying, “The general amnesty process continues, and as of today, more than 2,500 prisoners have been released within the framework of the law.”

Laibi added that authorities are working to expedite the process, saying, “According to our capacity, we are making every effort to release all those covered by the law within a specified period.”

The amnesty law, passed in January, was a key demand from Sunni lawmakers, who argued that thousands from their community have been unfairly imprisoned since 2003 on terrorism-related charges, including alleged ties to the Islamic State (ISIS). The legislation includes amendments to the definition of affiliation with terrorist groups, a condition set by Sunni political blocs to join the ruling State Administration Coalition.

The law took effect in mid-February after being published in Iraq’s Official Gazette. It was part of a trio of contentious laws passed simultaneously, alongside a Shiite-backed amendment to personal status laws and a Kurdish-supported land restitution law.

In early April, Iraqi authorities announced the release of 1,000 prisoners under the amnesty. The latest figures bring the total number of freed inmates to over 2,500, though the process is ongoing.

According to justice ministry statistics, Iraq’s 30 prisons hold approximately 67,000 inmates, including 1,600 foreigners. These numbers do not include detainees in the Kurdistan Region’s prisons or those held by security forces and armed groups nationwide.

The amnesty law has been seen as a step toward national reconciliation, though critics argue that its implementation must be closely monitored to ensure fairness. The releases come amid ongoing political efforts to address long-standing grievances among Iraq’s Sunni population.