Ayatollah Khamenei pardons, commutes sentences of over 2,800 Iranian prisoners

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has pardoned or commuted the sentences of thousands of Iranian prisoners on the eve of the Eid al-Mab’ath, and the upcoming 45th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution as well as Sha’ban celebrations. 

Ayatollah Khamenei on Wednesday agreed to a request by Iran’s Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei to suspend or mitigate the sentences of a total of 2,827 inmates eligible for parole or reduction of sentence.

The inmates had been convicted in the country’s public and Islamic Revolution courts, the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces, and the State Discretionary Punishment Organization.

Among the prisoners, who were granted clemency, there were 53 individuals that had been initially given the death penalty. Their sentences had been commuted to prison terms.

The Leader regularly issues such decrees on the occasion of religious festivities.

Article 110 of Iran’s Constitution grants the Leader the right to pardon or reduce the sentences of inmates upon a recommendation from the chief of the Judiciary.

The clemency, however, does not apply to all types of prisoners, including those who have been sentenced for their role in armed struggle against the country, armed or organized drug trafficking, rape, armed robbery, arms smuggling, abduction, bribery, and embezzlement.