Iran begins to review release of inmates guilty of role in unrest after Leader’s decree

At a meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council, the head of the Judiciary, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i ordered the heads of the justice departments in all provinces to speed up the implementation of the pardon decree issued by the Leader.

They were tasked with forming committees to match the cases with the predicted criteria and list the prisoners qualified for release as quickly as possible.

In a much-praised decree last week, Ayatollah Khamenei pardoned or commuted the sentences of a large group of prisoners found guilty of having played a role in the recent riots and protests in Iran.

The decision was taken in honor of the 44th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution as well as the religious festivities of the month of Rajab on the lunar calendar.

A wave of protests broke out in Iran in mid-September following the death of a young woman in police custody. The protests, however, turned ugly as rioters and thugs engaged in deadly acts of violence and vandalism.

Iranian authorities found evidence of foreign role in the unrest. Many arrests were made in connection with the incidents.