TEHRAN -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Saturday pardoned or commuted the sentences of a group of prisoners, as Iranians, along with other Muslims in the world, prepare to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.
Ayatollah Khamenei agreed to pardon or reduce the sentences of 1,542 prisoners eligible for mitigating circumstances, including those found guilty in courts of common pleas and Islamic Revolution tribunals, the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces and the State Discretionary Punishment Organization.
The Leader’s decision came in response to a letter from Iran’s Judiciary Chief Gholamhussein Mohseni-Ejei regarding prisoners found eligible for receiving the clemency by the relevant judicial authority.
Eid al-Fitr, one of the most important religious holidays in Islam, celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan.
The occasion falls on the first day of the lunar calendar month of Shawwal, the start of which varies based on the sighting of the new moon by local religious authorities.