TEHRAN -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has pardoned or commuted the sentences of thousands of prisoners based on the existence of mitigating circumstances.
The Leader on Thursday agreed to a request by Iran’s Judiciary Chief Gholamhussein Mohseni-Ejei to pardon or reduce the sentences of as many as 1,862 inmates subject to mitigating circumstances.
Ayatollah Khamenei issued the approval on the occasion of the birthday anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace upon Him) and the sixth Shia Imam, Imam Ja’afar Sadiq (AS).
The prisoners, who were granted the clemency, had had their verdicts issued at courts of common pleas and Islamic Revolution tribunals, the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces, and the State Discretionary Punishment Organization.
The official amnesty request was approved in line with the implementation of the 11th paragraph of the Constitution’s Article 110.
The Leader regularly issues such verdicts on the occasion of religious festivities.
The Prophet of Islam was born on the 17th day of the lunar calendar month of Rabi-ul-Awwal in 570 CE. The date also marks the birth anniversary of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (AS).
According to the Sunni narrative, the birth date of the Prophet (PBUH) falls on Rabi-ul-Awwal 12.
As per a call made by the late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini, the week in between the two dates has been designated as “the Islamic Unity Week” to promote convergence among Muslims.