Protests against the mullahs' regime and the moral police have been raging in Iran for months. But the state is cracking down: some demonstrators are being executed and many are being imprisoned. However, many of those convicted can now breathe a sigh of relief, because apparently tens of thousands of people were pardoned.
In Iran, according to state media, the spiritual and state leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has pardoned tens of thousands of prisoners, including many imprisoned because of the anti-government protests. Prisoners who are accused of not spying for foreign authorities, not having direct contact with foreign agents and not intentionally killing and injuring themselves would be pardoned, the media reported. This also applies if the prisoners are not accused of destroying or setting fire to state property and there are no private charges against them. The pardons were announced to mark the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
In Iran, numerous people have already been sentenced in connection with the mass protests that broke out in the autumn. Some of them were executed, the first in December. Those convicted were accused of injuring or killing members of the security forces during protests against the leadership. According to the information service run by the human rights group HRANA, around 20,000 people have been arrested because of the protests.
These were ignited by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. The Kurd died in police custody on September 16 under disputed circumstances. Because she is said to have been dressed inappropriately, the so-called vice police arrested her. The protests grew into the biggest challenge to the leadership since 1979.
At that time, the Shah was overthrown in the course of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic was proclaimed. On February 11, the people of Iran commemorate the uprising against the Western-backed Shah and the end of the monarchy that was announced that day.
