Over 600 prisoners released to mark Father’s Day

TEHRAN – On the occasion of National Father’s Day, which fell on January 14 this year, a total of 603 prisoners of unintentional crimes were freed across the country.

In Iran, Father’s Day falls on the thirteenth day of the lunar calendar month of Rajab, the birthday anniversary of Imam Ali (AS), the first Shia Imam.

In this line, a nationwide campaign, titled ‘Hello dad’, is being held from December 21 to January 19. A third of the released prisoners of involuntary crimes (171 individuals) were from Isfahan, Khorasan Razavi, and Fars provinces, IRNA reported.

The total debt of the released prisoners was over 14 trillion rials (about $20 million).

Currently, there are over 15,061 prisoners of involuntary crimes, including 14,301 men and 760 women.

Tehran, Fars, and Isfahan provinces have the highest number of prisoners of involuntary crimes with 2,570, 1,295, and 1,186 cases, respectively.

Over 7,000 prisoners of involuntary crimes freed in 9 months

During the first nine months of the current Iranian year (March 20 – December 20, 2024), a total of 7,706 prisoners of unintentional crimes were released.

Of the total prisoners who were in prison due to financial crimes, 7,282 were male, and 424 were female, Mehr news agency reported.

On the occasion of National Mother’s Day, which fell on December 22, 2024, this year, a total of 1,000 female prisoners of unintentional crimes were released across the country.

National Woman’s Day (also called Mother’s Day), coincides with the birth anniversary of Hazrat Fatemeh, the daughter of the holy prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

In the last three decades, benefactors have helped release more than 170,000 prisoners of unintentional crimes in the country.

Governmental support 

In March 2023, heads of the three branches of the government donated sums of money to help release prisoners of unintentional crimes.

Late President Ebrahim Raisi, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, and Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf allocated a total of 8.6 billion rials (about $16,000) for the issue, IRNA reported.

As an annual tradition, benefactors come together in a ceremony to raise funds for releasing prisoners of unintentional crimes during the holy month of Ramadan, according to the Blood Money Organization.

Previously, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, earmarked 15 billion rials (some $27.7) for releasing prisoners of unintentional crimes.

Asadollah Joulaei, the head of the Blood Money Organization, said on March 26, 2023, that a total of 6,875 prisoners of unintentional crimes have been released over the past 12 months, Mehr reported.

Freeing prisoners of involuntary crimes is done in three ways. The first way is granting prisoners leave and the second way is providing a number of them with loans to be paid inside the prison.

The third way of assistance is the release of unintentional convicts by paying their debt.

The Blood Money Organization was established in 1990. Since then, more than 160,000 prisoners of unintentional crimes who had debts have been freed.

On March 6, 2023, Mohseni-Ejei said the Leader had pardoned a sizable number of prisoners.

He also said that over 80,000 prisoners have received pardons as a result of the order issued by Ayatollah Khamenei.

The top judge stressed that thousands who had been detained during recent disturbances in the country were given amnesty.

He added that the number of pardon cases could approach 90,000.

MT/MG