Iraq to pardon Tunisian prisoners

The Tunisian Presidency announced that the Iraqi government will start procedures to issue a special pardon for eight Tunisians convicted in cases related to passports.In a statement issued last night to this effect, the Tunisian presidency said Iraqi Minister of Justice Hassan Al Shummari informed the Tunisian Charge d’Affaires in Baghdad Samir Al Jama’e that the procedures were started.The presidency has denied press reports that the Iraqi parliament rejected granting amnesty to the Tunisian prisoners, noting that the Tunisian Charge d’Affaires in Iraq contacted the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Iraqi parliament Hamoudi who denied the matter.The Tunisian Presidency added that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki had assured Adnan Al Munsir, envoy of Tunisian President Mohamed Moncef Marzouki who visited Iraq last week, that he will move ahead with the pardon procedures for the convicted Tunisians