18 March 2020<\/p>\n
Responding to the announcement by the Iranian authorities\u00a0that pardons will be granted to prisoners convicted of \u201csecurity\u201d offences who have a five-year prison sentence or less, and that those who have been granted leave in recent weeks will not be returned to prison, Philip Luther, Amnesty International\u2019s\u00a0Middle East and North Africa Research and Advocacy Director, said:<\/p>\n
\u201cAmnesty International welcomes the release of anyone detained as a prisoner of conscience, although they should not have been in prison in the first place.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one should spend a single day in prison for peacefully exercising their rights, and it is outrageous that so many prisoners of conscience remain unjustly jailed – including human rights defenders and many others detained for taking part in peaceful protests in November 2019 and January this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmnesty International is again calling on the Iranian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Background<\/strong><\/p>\n Earlier today, the Iranian authorities announced that prisoners jailed for \u201csecurity\u201d offences who have a five-year prison sentence or less will be granted pardons, and that those who have been granted leave in recent weeks will not have to return to prison. Many prisoners defined by the authorities as jailed for \u201csecurity\u201d offences are actually prisoners held for politically motivated reasons.<\/p>\n The announcement said the pardons were, in part, to mark the occasion of Nowrouz (the Iranian New Year), which falls on 20 March, and two Islamic religious holidays, and, in part, in light of the \u201csensitive situation\u201d of the country, in apparent reference to the spread of the coronavirus in the country. In recent weeks, Iran has been granting prison leave after payment of bail, as authorities struggle to contain the spread of coronavirus, including in the country\u2019s prisons.<\/p>\n ENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL<\/strong><\/p>\n QUOTE<\/strong><\/p>\n