TEHRAN – Since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2019), benefactors have freed 5,555 prisoners who had committed unintentional crimes, head of Blood Money Organization has said.

The highest number of prisoners were released in provinces of Isfahan, Tehran, Gilan and East Azarbaijan, IRNA quoted Asadollah Joolaei as saying on Tuesday.

He went on to note that of all 5,555 inmates of involuntary crimes who are released, 230 of whom are women and mostly breadwinners of their families.

The largest proportion of prisoners were debtors owing to the issuance of checks or bail bonds, which accounted for 60 percent of the total population, he stated.

Currently, 14,664 unintentional crime prisoners are behind bars in the country, 7,000 of whom are subject to Blood Money Organization’s support, Joolaei concluded.

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. 

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