Askar Jalalian, Iran’s Deputy for Human Rights and International Affairs in the Ministry of Justice, announced during his visit to Kabul that he discussed a prisoner exchange with officials in Kabul.
Iranian media reported on Thursday, November 14, that Jalalian traveled to Kabul.
According to the report, Jalalian stated that the process of returning prisoners will be carried out in accordance with international laws and in collaboration with Taliban authorities.
Yesterday, the Iranian Deputy for Human Rights and International Affairs also announced that within the next two months, Iran would hand over 1,000 Afghan prisoners to Afghanistan.
He emphasized that this transfer of prisoners will follow a 2006 agreement between Kabul and Tehran.
According to this Iranian official, most of these prisoners were convicted of drug-related offenses.
Statistics from Iran’s Deputy Minister of Justice show that fewer than 10 Iranian prisoners are held in Afghan prisons.
In the past, Afghan prisoners have been transferred to Afghanistan to serve the remainder of their sentences.
Meanwhile, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry, at least 6,000 Afghan citizens are currently imprisoned in Iran.
The transfer of prisoners could alleviate overcrowding in Iranian prisons and may offer Afghan prisoners a chance to complete their sentences closer to home.
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