Iran's leader grants pardon to recent 'unrest' arrestees

TEHRAN, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Sunday agreed to pardon or commute the sentences of tens of thousands of prisoners, including those arrested during the recent "unrest" in the country.

File photo: Xinhua

The pardon was proposed by Iranian Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei on the occasion of the 44th anniversary of the victory of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, which falls on Feb. 11, according to the leader's website.

In his letter to the leader, the judiciary chief said that during the recent events, a number of Iranian individuals, particularly the youths, were deceived by the "enemies' propaganda and inductions" and perpetrated "incorrect acts and crimes," which caused trouble for themselves and their families and acquaintances.

Among other things, the judiciary chief also listed a number of preconditions required to be met by the inmates for being pardoned, adding those that have conducted espionage on behalf of foreign intelligence services, or in direct contact with the agents of such services, or have committed murder should not be included into the pardoned.

Iran's constitution grants the top leader the right to give clemency to eligible convicts who are recommended by the judiciary chief.

Protests erupted in Iran after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in a Tehran hospital on Sept. 16, 2022, a few days after her collapse at a police station. Iran has accused the United States and some other Western countries of "inciting riots and supporting terrorists" in the country.