Iran pardons, commutes sentences for over 2,200 convicts

By AFP 17 July 2022, 5:15 pm Edit

Iran’s supreme leader has pardoned or commuted the sentences of more than 2,200 prisoners, including some on death row, to mark two important Muslim feasts, official sources say.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “granted pardons or commuted the sentences of 2,272 convicts” for the Eid al-Adha and Ghadir religious holidays, which both fall this month, a statement on his website says.

The supreme leader routinely grants collective pardons on major religious occasions, in coordination with the head of the judiciary.

The judiciary’s website, Mizan Online, says 43 of the prisoners had been sentenced to death.

Last week, Muslims across the world celebrated Eid al-Adha, which marks the end of the hajj pilgrimage.