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Iran’s judiciary chief said Monday that 22,000 people detained in recent anti-government protests sweeping the Islamic Republic have been pardoned. There is no immediate independent confirmation of a mass release.
Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi’s comments come as demonstrations have slowed in recent months following the September death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in custody after she was detained by state morality police.
However, anger remains in the country as it struggles through the collapse of the country’s currency, the rial, economic woes and uncertainty over its relationship with the wider world following the collapse of Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Ejehi as announcing the figures on Monday.
Iran’s state media previously suggested Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could pardon many people, swept up in demonstrations, ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, when the faithful fast from dawn to dusk. Ramadan starts next week.
Ejehi said that there are 82,656 prisoners and those accused have been pardoned. Of those, about 22,000 have been arrested amid demonstrations, he said. The pardoned person did not commit theft or violence, he added.
In February, Iran admitted “tens of thousands” had been detained in the protests. Monday’s confession from Ejehi offered a higher figure than what activists had previously said.
More than 19,700 people have been arrested during the protests, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, a group tracking the crackdown. At least 530 people have been killed as authorities crack down on demonstrations violently, the group said. Iran has not released a death toll for months.
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