Leader Grants Clemency to 1,166 Convicts

Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Thursday pardoned or commuted the sentences of 1,166 Iranian convicts. The pardon was granted at the request of Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani on the occasion of the grand Muslim feasts of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Ghadir, Tasnim News Agency reported. Eid al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice) marks the culmination of the hajj pilgrimage and is one of the most significant holidays in the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Ghadir is a festive day observed by Shia Muslims to commemorate the anniversary of Prophet Muhammad's (PUBH) public proclamation of Imam Ali (PBUH) as his successor.

Iran's Constitution grants the Leader the right to pardon or reduce the sentences of convicts upon a recommendation from the head of the judiciary. The clemency, however, does not apply to all types of convicts, including those who have been found guilty of armed struggle against the country, armed or organized drug trafficking, rape, armed robbery, arms smuggling, abduction, bribery and embezzlement.