Iran’s judiciary also pardoned 22,000 protesters as part of a recent major amnesty. The state news agency IRNA reported this on Monday with reference to Justice Chief Gholam-Hussein Mohseni-Edschehi.
It is not known how many of the protesters are still in prison. It was the first time that the judiciary released figures on arrests during the protests.
A week ago, state media reported that Iranian religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pardoned more than 80,000 prisoners on the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The figures cannot be verified.
Critics say the amnesty is a distraction after political and religious leadership came under pressure. They also complained that an indictment should be available for a pardon. If not, the detainees would have to incriminate themselves, human rights activists criticized.
The latest wave of protests in the fall plunged the Iranian leadership into its worst crisis in decades. The trigger was the death of Iranian Kurd Jina Mahsa Amini in police custody. The 22-year-old was arrested about six months ago for violating Islamic dress codes. More than 500 protesters were killed during the protests.
(yam/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
