Iraq offers amnesty for Tunisian detainees

Tunisian President Mohammed Moncef Marzouki Tunis – Nail Zaghdoud Tunisia confirms receiving a final approval from senior Iraqi government officials, regarding the release of Tunisian detainees held in Iraqi prisons without sentence. In a press conference immediately after the arrival of the Tunisian delegation participating in the Baghdad Arab Summit, Adnan Mansar, spokesman for the Tunisian Presidency said "a Tunisian government team travelled to Baghdad last Saturday in order to negotiate the fate of these Tunisian detainees being held in Iraqi prisons", adding that their number does not exceed 22 detainees, including three sentenced for charges relating to terrorism.Adnan Mansar claimed the release of 12 Tunisian detainees charged with violating the Passport Law (entering Iraqi soil without visas or exceeding the period of legal residence), was possible under a special pardon from the Iraqi state.The official spokesman also revealed the presence of five Tunisian citizens being held  without charge, who were detained by US forces in Iraq, before being handed over to the Iraqi authorities who later agreed to release them under a special pardon. Preparations for their release will begin next Sunday and the issue of a special pardon should not take more than a week in most of the cases, he added.As for detainees who have terrorism-related judgements, Mansar confirmed that their number does not exceed three and they have been tried for cases of terrorism or contributing towards operations which led to the deaths of Iraqi victims.He also disclosed that the Iraqi government pledged to hand them over to their country (Tunisia) according to a protocol implementing the Riyadh Convention which defines the handing over of offenders to their countries in order to complete their sentences there, pointing out that preparing such a protocol might take a month or two.Tunisian President Mohammed Moncef Marzouki expressed regret to the Iraqi people for offences committed by Tunisian nationals against the Iraqi people, and asked for them to be forgiven and release them as a gift to the Tunisian people. He also hinted at future relations between the two nations which he was certain would witness further developments.The Tunisian President said, after his arrival in Baghdad last Wednesday "I would say to the Iraqi people that those offenders do not represent the Tunisian nation as a whole who only wish and pray for the happiness and success of Iraq", calling for forgiveness and an amnesty for the Tunisian convicts in Iraq and mercy for their families.Regarding the missing people, the spokesman for the Tunisian Presidency said they are numerous, according to their families, adding that they are fearful which increases the difficulty in locating them. This is especially evident as most Tunisians who entered Iraq after 2003, left and participated in Nahr el-Bared (cold river) battle in Lebanon.The File of Tunisian detainees and missing persons in Iraqi prisons is considered one of the most prominent factors in Marzouki's visit and his success in gaining pledges from the Iraqi authorities to resolve this file is considered a positive step for this new era inTunisian diplomacy.