Iran: Prisoners released after annual pardons

HRANA News Agency – Following reports that Iran's Supreme Leader has pardoned 130 prisoners charged with security crimes, the Tehran Prosecutor's office announced that so far about 90 prisoners have been released.

It is customary for Iran's Supreme Leader to grant some pardons on the occasion of Eid of Fetre, at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

According to a report by Radio Zamaneh, Iranian media have referred to the pardoned prisoners as "security prisoners" because the Islamic Republic establishment refrains from admitting that it has any "political prisoners."

Iranian media report that the authorities have been releasing these prisoners since Wednesday afternoon.

ISNA reported yesterday that the Tehran Prosecutor announced the pardons, saying: "The pardon of this group of convicts has been based on pleas for mercy and expressions of remorse and regret from the prisoners."

Most of the released prisoners are activists and journalists that were arrested in the crackdown on protesters following the 2009 presidential elections.