New Delhi, Aug. 1 -- Indonesia is set to begin releasing hundreds of inmates from its notoriously overcrowded prisons after parliament approved the first stage of President Prabowo Subianto's wide-ranging clemency plan.

The first group of 1,116 will begin leaving prisons next week and includes prominent rivals of previous President Joko Widodo who were jailed during his term, as well as Papuan independence activists.

House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad and Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas made the announcement late Thursday after a consultation between the government and party factions in the legislature.

Subianto surprised the nation barely two months after he took office in October when he said he planned to gr...