Leader approves pardons, reduced terms for inmates, marking Imam Reza’s (PBUH) birth anniv.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has approved pardons and sentence reduction or adjustment for 5,156 of prisoners convicted by general and revolution courts as well as the Justice Organization of the Armed Forces in marking the blessed birth anniversary of Imam Reza (PBUH) – the eighth Shia apostle.  

This came after the Chief of Iran’s Judiciary Branch and President-elect Ebrahim Raeisi, in a letter to the leader, requested the pardon and reduction or revision of convictions of the selected offenders whose cases have been reviewed by the judiciary’s amnesty and pardon commission and were determined to be qualified for discounted sentences, Fars news agency reported Saturday.

The official amnesty request was approved in line with the implementation of the 11^th paragraph of the Constitution’s Article 110, according to the report.

Raeisi was elected Iran’s eighth president after he garnered about 62 percent of the votes in the June 18 election. He will succeed current President Hassan Rouhani, who has served two four-year terms in office.

The election was held amid a massive political and media negative campaign by the US as well as its Western and regional allies in attempts to falsely portray the vote as “undemocratic.”

Many world leaders, senior foreign officials, prominent figures, and regional resistance leaders have so far offered congratulations on Raeisi’s victory.

Raeisi is due to assume office on August 3 after being sworn in.

He reiterated in a recent interview his electoral campaign pledge to institute major reforms in the country’s administrative system, as well as generating employment opportunities and halting the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic as his top priorities after taking office.

Iranian president-elect vows to reform administrative system, fight COVID-19

President-Elect Ebrahim Raeisi says making reforms in the Iranian administrative system will be among his topmost priorities.

Raeisi made the remarks in his first televised interview conducted in the holy city of Mashhad on Friday, saying, “What has preoccupied my mind more than everything is the issue of occupation. The issue of coronavirus that the [Iranian] people are grappling with has also preoccupied my mind.”

He noted that his administration would also focus on increasing the availability of housing for the public as pledged during his election campaign.

Raeisi further called for national unity to overcome the difficulties the nation is currently struggling with despite the persisting US-led sanctions against the country.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk