ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday approved the pardoning or reducing in sentences of nearly two thousand prisoners on the occasion of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, state media reported.
Iran often issues pardons to prisoners around the time of national and religious holidays, in accordance with Article 110 of Iran’s constitution. The Thursday pardons come as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan ends and Eid al-Fitr begins.
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, head of Iran’s judiciary system, requested Khamenei to commute the sentences of 1,760 prisoners, according to IRNA, a request that Khamenei approved.
Iran has been subjected to heavy criticism from the international community and rights groups for human rights violations and abuses in prisons, raising concerns about poor conditions, abuse of prisoners, and use of torture in the country’s penal system.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its paramilitary Basij have led a violent crackdown on nationwide protests sparked by the death of young Kurdish woman Zhina (Mahsa) Amini while in custody of the morality police last September. The protests around the country eventually simmered down, but Iran’s crackdown was the subject of massive international condemnation.
Iran often issues pardons to prisoners around the time of national and religious holidays, in accordance with Article 110 of Iran’s constitution. The Thursday pardons come as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan ends and Eid al-Fitr begins.
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, head of Iran’s judiciary system, requested Khamenei to commute the sentences of 1,760 prisoners, according to IRNA, a request that Khamenei approved.
Iran has been subjected to heavy criticism from the international community and rights groups for human rights violations and abuses in prisons, raising concerns about poor conditions, abuse of prisoners, and use of torture in the country’s penal system.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its paramilitary Basij have led a violent crackdown on nationwide protests sparked by the death of young Kurdish woman Zhina (Mahsa) Amini while in custody of the morality police last September. The protests around the country eventually simmered down, but Iran’s crackdown was the subject of massive international condemnation.
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