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Pardon & Commutation of Punishments Meted Out to Tens of Thousands of Defendants & Convicts on 44th Anniversary of Victory of Islamic Revolution

On 5 February 2023, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution agreed to the 24 January 2023 proposal presented by the Chief of the Judiciary for the pardon and commutation of sentences meted out to a significant number of convicts and defendants arrested during the recent riots, and those convicted in Public Courts, Courts of Revolution, and the Judiciary Courts of the Armed Forces. In his letter to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Hujjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Eje’i wrote: “In the recent unrest, a number of people, especially young ones, committed wrong behaviors and crimes due to the incitement and propaganda of the enemy. In addition to causing problems for themselves, they have also caused hardship for their families and relatives. Now that the schemes of the foreign enemies and the anti-Revolution movements against the people have been unmasked, a significant number of them are expressing regret and remorse and asking to be forgiven.” Special conditions and a request for pardon and commutation of punishment inflicted upon female convicts who are – on the strength of the Law – in charge of guardianship or custody of their children, for convicts diagnosed with refractory diseases, for male and female convicts aged over 70 and 60, and for convicts languishing behind bars due to insolvency were also announced in the letter. A closer look at the details of the pardon and Islamic leniency indicates the fact that a wide range of individuals are eligible for pardon. This general pardon is one of the criterion-based pardons last proposed and approved by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in 2018. Under such pardons, the Chief of the Judiciary presents specific criteria to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, and if approved, any prisoner or detainee who falls within the framework thereof is granted pardon.