TEHRAN, Mar. 29 (MNA) – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has pardoned or commuted the sentences of a large group of Iranian prisoners on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the 12th and last Shia Imam, Imam Mahdi.

Ayatollah Khamenei on Sunday agreed to pardon or reduce the sentences of 1,849 prisoners eligible for mitigating circumstances, including those found guilty in courts of common pleas and Islamic Revolution tribunals, the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces and the State Discretionary Punishment Organization, the Press TV English website has reported.

The Leader issued the approval on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the 12th and last Shia Imam, Imam Mahdi, and also the Islamic Republic Day.

The Leader’s decision came in response to a letter from Iran's Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raeisi regarding prisoners found eligible for receiving the clemency by the relevant judicial authority.

KI/PR