TEHRAN – Since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21), 3,318 prisoners who had committed unintentional crimes have been released, head of Blood Money Organization has said.

Total debt of the prisoners was added up to about 9 trillion rials (nearly $214 million), ISNA quoted Asadollah Joolaei as saying on Sunday.

However, some half of the sum was forgiven by the plaintiffs, and benefactors contributed to release these people, he explained.

Referring to female prisoners of unintentional crimes, he stated that 136 women accounting for 4 percent of the whole prisoners were freed during the first six months of this year.

Last year, charity fundraising events helped free more than 10 thousand prisoners and contributions totaled nearly 5.7 trillion rials (nearly $135 million).

Iranian parliament, Majlis, has approved 2 trillion rials (nearly $47 million) to be earmarked for releasing prisoners of unintentional crimes with the priority given to female prisoners, Mehr reported in January. 

Within the framework of the budget bill for the current year, the money which has seen 100 percent increase year on year, will be allocated to freeing prisoners mostly jailed for unintentional financial crimes.

FB/MG