TEHRAN — More than 113,000 prisoners who had committed unintentional crimes were released in the past Iranian calendar year (March 2017-March 2018), IRNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

Total debt of prisoners added up to about 7 trillion rials (nearly $166 million), however, some half of the debts were forgiven by the plaintiffs, Blood Money Organization’s director Asadollah Jolaei said.

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

He stated that every year, concurrent with the holy month of Ramadan, fundraising events will be held nationwide. This year some 375 fundraising events are planned to be held nationwide.

Every year concurrent with the holy month of Ramadan, which started on May 17 this year, Iranians make generous donations to help free prisoners.

Last year, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, and Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani made a total of 6.83 billion rials (nearly $170,000) in contributions to free prisoners who had committed involuntary crimes.

This year, the Leader has made a contribution of 4 billion rials (nearly $950,000) to help release prisoners who had committed involuntary crimes, YJC reported.

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