TEHRAN – Iranian philanthropists have helped free 5,068 inmates of unintentional crimes since the beginning of the current [Iranian calendar] year (started March 20) till November 20, Asadollah Joolaei, head of Blood Money Organization, has said.

Some 173 female and 4,895 male prisoners were released across the country with a debt of 22 trillion rials (nearly $530 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials), he noted.

According to him, there are currently 12,874 inmates of unintentional crimes in the country’s prisons.

As an annual tradition, benefactors came together in a ceremony to raise funds for releasing prisoners of unintentional crimes concurrent with the holy month of Ramadan, which started on April 27 this year.

In May, heads of the three branches of the government and the private sector donated 6.5 billion rials (nearly $150,000) to release prisoners who had committed involuntary crimes.

President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, and Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Seyed Ebrahim Raeisi made a total of 3.9 billion rials (around $92,000) in contributions to free prisoners of unintentional crimes.

Moreover, the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, and the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, representing the private sector, and also Imam Khomeini Relief Committee, participated in the event by donating 2.6 billion rials (about $62,000).

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has donated 4.5 billion rials (about $110,000) this year, and more than 25 billion rials (about $600,000) over the past ten years, helping release over 700 prisoners of unintentional crimes in the country.

Last year (March 2019-March 2020), some 8,599 inmates of unintentional crimes were released from prison with the help of charities.

FB/MG