TEHRAN – A nationwide campaign was launched on June 27, the beginning of the month of Muharram, aiming to help release 17,000 prisoners of intentional crimes.

In this line, a total of 187 prisoners (11 women and 176 men) have been freed until June 30. The campaign aims to help those imprisoned due to financial debts or inability to pay dues, resulting from accidents or other unintentional actions, Mehr news agency reported.

Last year, during Muharram and Safar, the first two lunar months, benefactors contributed to releasing 96 female and 1643 male prisoners; the total debt of released prisoners amounted to 40 trillion rials (almost 45 million dollars). 

Also, during the holy month of Ramadan (March 2-30), benefactors helped release a total of 2,500 prisoners for unintentional crimes. The total debt of the released prisoners was 40 trillion rials (about 45 million dollars), ISNA reported.

Each year in the month of Ramadan, officials and benefactors hold gatherings and campaigns to raise money to help free prisoners of involuntary crimes. Since 1990, benefactors have contributed to the release of more than 180,000 prisoners of involuntary crimes during Ramadan, 

Over the past Iranian calendar year (March 2024–March 2025), benefactors contributed to releasing 11,380 prisoners of unintentional crimes in the country. Also, 2,441 prisoners were pardoned during the same period, ISNA reported.

The number of released prisoners has increased by 22 percent compared to the Iranian year 1402 (March 2023 –March 2024). Of the total released prisoners, 682 were female and 10,698 were male, who were incarcerated due to their inability to pay financial debts. The total debt of the released prisoners was over 270 trillion rials (about 270 million dollars). 

Tehran, Fars, and Khorasan Razavi provinces ranked first to third with the release of 1,088, 878, and 829 prisoners of involuntary crimes, respectively. Currently, there are 14,591 inmates of unintentional crimes nationwide. Tehran (with 2,536), Fars (with 1,331), and Isfahan (with 1,183) provinces have the highest number of prisoners of involuntary crimes.

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.

MT/MG