27 Death Row Prisoners Saved From Execution in Past Year in a Northern Iranian Province

Iran Human Rights, Wednesday August 19 2015: Ali Akbar Ghafarian, the head of prisons in the province of Mazandaran, says at least 27 prisoners in this province have been spared from execution in the past year.

According to the Press Department of the Prisons Organization in Mazandaran, Ghafarian says the death sentences for 57 prisoners were sent in [for review], and after pardons by plaintiffs, approximately 27 of the prisoners have been saved from execution.

Additionally, the Press Department of the Judiciary in the province of West Azerbaijan has reported on one prisoner, identified as A.M., charged with murder and sentenced to death, who was saved from execution upon being pardoned by the murder victim's family. However, the prisoner must first reportedly pay blood money to the murder victim's family.