Since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March ۲۱, ۲۰۱۹), benefactors have freed ۵,۵۵۵ prisoners who had committed unintentional crimes, head of Blood Money Organization has said.
The highest number of prisoners were released in provinces of Isfahan, Tehran, Gilan and East Azarbaijan, IRNA quoted Asadollah Joolaei as saying on Tuesday.
He went on to note that of all ۵,۵۵۵ inmates of involuntary crimes who are released, ۲۳۰ of whom are women and mostly breadwinners of their families.
The largest proportion of prisoners were debtors owing to the issuance of checks or bail bonds, which accounted for ۶۰ percent of the total population, he stated.
Currently, ۱۴,۶۶۴ unintentional crime prisoners are behind bars in the country, ۷,۰۰۰ of whom are subject to Blood Money Organization’s support, Joolaei concluded.
Last year, charity fundraising events helped free more than ۱۰ thousand prisoners and contributions totaled nearly ۵.۷ trillion rials (nearly $۱۳۵ million).
Iranian parliament, Majlis, has approved ۲ trillion rials (nearly $۴۷ million) to be earmarked for releasing prisoners of unintentional crimes with the priority given to female prisoners.
Within the framework of the budget bill for the current year, the money which has seen ۱۰۰ percent increase year-on-year, will be allocated to freeing prisoners mostly jailed for unintentional financial crimes.
Tehran Times