TEHRAN – On the occasion of National Father’s Day, which fell on January 25 this year, a total of 534 prisoners of unintentional crimes were freed across the country.

In Iran, Father’s Day falls on the thirteenth day of the lunar calendar month of Rajab, the birthday anniversary of Imam Ali (AS), the first Shia Imam.

In this line, a nationwide campaign, titled ‘In the Name of Father’, was held from January 3 to 24, during which 37 female and 497 male prisoners were released.

The total debt of the released prisoners was 6,665 billion rials (about $13.3 million).

On January 5, with the participation of altruists and benevolent people, a total of 2,548 prisoners of unintentional crimes were released from prisons nationwide, ISNA reported.

In the first six months of the current Iranian year (which began on March 21, 2023), 4224 prisoners of involuntary crimes were released from prison.

Of the total released prisoners, 4,032 were male and 192 were female, IRNA reported.

The debt of the released prisoners was 56 thousand billion rials (about $103 million).

Governmental contribution 

In March 2023, heads of the three branches of the government donated sums of money to help release prisoners of unintentional crimes.

President Ebrahim Raisi, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, and Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf allocated a total of 8.6 billion rials (about $16,000) for the issue, IRNA reported.

As an annual tradition, benefactors come together in a ceremony to raise funds for releasing prisoners of unintentional crimes during the holy month of Ramadan, according to the Blood Money Organization.

Previously, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, earmarked 15 billion rials (some $27.7) for releasing prisoners of unintentional crimes.

A total of 6,875 prisoners of unintentional crimes have been released over the past 12 months, Asadollah Joulaei, the head of the Blood Money Organization, said on March 26, 2023, Mehr reported.

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.

The Blood Money Organization was established in 1990. Since then, more than 160,000 prisoners of unintentional crimes who had debts have been freed.

On March 6, 2023, Mohseni-Ejei said the Leader had pardoned a sizable number of prisoners.

He also said that over 80,000 prisoners have received pardons as a result of the order issued by Ayatollah Khamenei.

The top judge stressed that thousands who had been detained during recent disturbances in the country were given amnesty.

He added that the number of pardon cases could approach 90,000.

MT/MG