Iran pardons, reduces sentences of over two thousand prisoners

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran’s supreme leader has approved to pardon or commute the sentences of over two thousand Iranian prisoners, reported his website on Saturday, in celebration of the Islamic holidays.

Pardons and reduction in sentences were granted to a total of 2,272 Iranian inmates by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, based on the request of the head of Iran’s judiciary Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei.

The gesture comes in celebration of the Islamic holidays of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Ghadir.

Last week Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Adha, one of Islam’s two major holidays, for four consecutive days.

Eid al-Ghadir, which began on Sunday, is a special and commemorative Shiite holiday, marking the 18th day of Dhu al-Hijjah month on the Islamic Hijri calendar, which is said to be the day Prophet Mohammad appointed Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor.

Iran often issues pardons to prisoners around the time of national and religious holidays, in accordance with Article 110 of Iran’s constitution.

Khamenei approved of a pardon or reduction in sentence for over 1,500 prisoners in May in celebration of Eid al-Fitr.

International communities often criticize Iran for committing human rights violations and abuses in prisons and raise concerns about poor conditions, abuse of prisoners, and use of torture in the country’s penal system.

In April, Amnesty International accused Iranian authorities of deliberately withholding life-saving medications from fatally ill prisoners.