Secretary of the High Council for Human Rights: Conditional amnesty is a manifestation of Islamic clemency and a human rights achievement

Nasser Seraj, Deputy for International Affairs of the Judiciary and Secretary of the High Council for Human Rights, in an interview with Mizan News Agency, referring to the Leader’s approval of the Judiciary Chief’s request for the amnesty and commutation of sentences for a group of convicts—and to the wide scope of this conditional amnesty—stated:

On the occasion of the birth anniversaries of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Imam Sadiq (AS), which called for demonstrating the merciful dimension of our Islamic system, the head of the judiciary undertook a new and transformative measure to bring more individuals under the coverage of amnesty or sentence reduction. Accordingly, he instructed several senior judiciary officials to set certain criteria, which judicial authorities in the provinces would then match against the conditions of inmates and convicts with finalized verdicts.

While praising this initiative and expressing support for the broad amnesty, he emphasized: This measure, in addition to bringing joy and hope to families, also clearly demonstrates the necessity of safeguarding security and justice, and it provides a valuable opportunity for released prisoners to reintegrate positively into society.

The Secretary of the High Council for Human Rights further noted, regarding the impact of such a broad amnesty on Iran’s efforts to advance domestic human rights: This amnesty reflects Islamic compassion and the human-centered approach of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s judiciary toward convicts, carrying wide-ranging social benefits, including reducing the prison population. Moreover, the return of prisoners to their families strengthens social support networks and reduces psychological harm to family members, particularly children.

He concluded by stating that this conditional amnesty can be regarded as one of the human rights achievements of the Islamic Republic’s judiciary, adding: This measure demonstrates that our judiciary simultaneously pursues both justice and compassion. The targeted, lawful, and organized use of this mechanism has provided the Islamic Republic of Iran’s judiciary with a unique and rare experience in decriminalization and crime prevention, ultimately ensuring the fulfillment of justice and the protection of the people’s rights.