The Georgian parliament has approved the release of around 3,000 prisoners and shorter terms for thousands more, BBC News reported.

Georgia's previous government, backed by President Mikheil Saakashvili, was hit by a scandal over prisoner abuse.

The new government of Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, a political opponent of the president, says many inmates were imprisoned unfairly.

But Mr Saakashvili called the amnesty a "mass release of criminals", and warned of grave consequences.

The first prisoners are expected to be released later on Sunday, Jan 13.

Many Georgians worry that powerful mafia bosses, who fled the country while the last government was in power, will come back if they think this new administration is soft on crime.

Georgia has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, but there are accusations that over the years zero-tolerance to crime tipped over into heavy-handed behavior.