In a major gesture to begin the new year, President Alassane Ouattara has announced a presidential pardon for 4,656 detainees across Côte d’Ivoire.
The decision, revealed during his traditional New Year’s Eve televised address on December 31, 2025, is framed as a measure to ease overcrowding in the nation’s prisons and promote social cohesion following the October elections.
According to the presidential decree, approximately 2,000 detainees will receive a full collective pardon and be released immediately, while another 2,656 will benefit from sentence reductions. The latter group includes prisoners with less than 36 months remaining on their sentences.
President Ouattara stressed that the clemency applies strictly to “common-law” prisoners convicted of minor offenses who do not pose a significant threat to public safety. The measure excludes those found guilty of serious crimes such as offenses against the state, drug trafficking, organized crime, violent crimes, child abduction, and corruption or embezzlement of public funds.
Authorities described the initiative as both symbolic and practical. Côte d’Ivoire’s correctional facilities, particularly the Maison d’Arrêt et de Correction d’Abidjan (MACA), have long struggled with severe overcrowding. By releasing nearly 5,000 individuals, the government aims to improve conditions for the remaining prison population and reduce the financial burden on the state.
Officials underscored that the move is intended to give non-violent offenders “a second chance to make their way in society.”
The pardon also carries political weight. Coming just months after Ouattara secured a fourth term in elections marked by the exclusion of major opposition figures, the announcement was accompanied by a call for “unity, work, and solidarity.” Observers see the mass release as a gesture of humanism designed to ease political tensions and reinforce national stability as the country enters 2026.
