The pardon was granted at the request of the country’s Judiciary Chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei on the occasion of the Eid al-Ghadeer, which marks the appointment of the first Shiite Imam, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), by Islam’s most revered figure, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as his successor.
The top judge had proposed the amnesty for 2,000 prisoners.
Article 110 of the 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 certain types of convicts, including those who have been sentenced for their role in the armed struggle against the country, armed or organized drug trafficking, armed robbery, arms smuggling, abduction, bribery, and embezzlement.