Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Sunday he would release tens of thousands of prisoners or reduce their sentences. This is reported by the Iranian state medium IRNA, which is under the supervision of the Iranian authorities. Among the detainees would be many people who have been arrested during the demonstrations in recent months. It is the first time that Iran has given any indication of the scale of its detentions in recent months.
Prisoners are pardoned more often around the anniversary of the Islamic Republic, which was proclaimed exactly 44 years ago. That does not apply to everyone who is detained, the state medium writes. Participants in the protests of recent months could only be released if they are not accused of espionage or contact with foreign intelligence services. Prisoners who are imprisoned for murder or intentionally wounding, destroying or arson would also not be eligible.
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Iran’s prisons are overcrowded, including with thousands of detained protesters who have taken to the streets since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September. Nearly 20,000 people have been arrested in the protests, according to human rights groups. At least five hundred people were killed, four of whom are known to have been executed. Recently, the protests have been contained by harsh intervention by the Iranian authorities.