MANAMA: Bahrain has pardoned hundreds of inmates, the second major amnesty in months. Scores of prisoners were released from a Bahrain jail on Thursday following a royal pardon issued late Wednesday concerning 457 inmates. Videos shared on social media showed tearful reunions in a courtyard outside Jau prison, where black-clad women waited to spot their sons and husbands among those freed.

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa’s royal amnesty was aimed at fostering “social cohesion” and to celebrate his 25 years on the throne, the official Bahrain News Agency said late on Wednesday. The move came five months after a pardon of more than 1,500 inmates — the biggest in years.

Families of the freed inmates were contacted by authorities to inform them of the releases — but even those who didn’t receive a call made their way to the prison hoping their loved ones would also walk free. Bahrain is a key regional ally of the United States and is home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet. — AFP