Judiciary Chief Emphasizes Implementation of 'Prison Population Reduction' Guidelines

The head of Iran's judiciary stated without giving details that the current number of prisoners in Iran is 'not befitting the Islamic Republic of Iran,' and prosecutors must quickly implement the guidelines for 'organizing prisoners and reducing the prison population.' According to the state news agency IRNA, Sadeq Larijani said on Tuesday, October 5, 'It is unacceptable to send someone to prison who has made a mistake once and is now remorseful, especially when alternative punishments exist.' He emphasized that the 'prison organization' guidelines would reduce the number of prisoners while also 'enhancing social security.' Larijani urged heads of judiciary and prosecutors to encourage judges to implement these guidelines. In the last days of Shahrivar, he had issued a circular on 'organizing prisoners and reducing the prison population,' which included instructions for reducing the issuance of temporary detention and prison sentences by judges. He requested that judges ensure that bail or surety decisions allow defendants enough time to introduce a surety or provide bail. According to this circular, judges on duty are required to accept bail or surety outside of working hours if a surety is introduced or bail is provided. Reports indicate that some prisoners whose bail or surety is prepared outside of working hours are forced to remain in prison until the next working day. In his circular, the head of the judiciary also asked prosecutors to supervise the detention orders issued by judges and ensure that 'the issuance of disproportionate orders or the failure to accept guarantees in a timely manner' does not lead to individuals being imprisoned. Additionally, drug addicts must be kept in addiction treatment centers and compulsory residence facilities, and the lack of such centers is 'not a justification for arresting and introducing these individuals to prison.' Other directives from the head of the judiciary in this circular include the issuance of alternative punishment sentences, monthly reviews of 'requests for conditional release, freedom systems, and semi-freedom under electronic monitoring systems, and pardoning eligible prisoners.' The head of the judiciary had previously issued a circular in 2013 to reduce the number of prisoners. Earlier, Gholamreza Ansari, deputy for supervision and inspection of the Supreme Court, announced that the new Islamic Penal Code, which has been in effect since July 2013, provides for alternative punishments to imprisonment. According to the head of the Prison Organization, the number of prisoners in 2015 was '450,000,' which was a decrease from 'about 600,000 prisoners' in 2014. Some judiciary officials and experts believe that in many cases, judges can impose alternative punishments instead of prison sentences for defendants. Iranian judiciary officials have also proposed plans in recent years, such as 'electronic bracelets and ankle monitors as alternatives to prison' for some defendants to be monitored at home, but these plans have yet to be implemented. In a separate part of his remarks, the head of the judiciary reacted to a resolution by the U.S. House of Representatives regarding human rights violations in Iran, stating, 'Although after America's betrayal regarding the JCPOA, we did not expect much from them to behave in a specific manner, nonetheless, America's hostile actions against Iran continue, and the recent resolution is an example of such behavior.' He added, 'Such claims will certainly have no effect on the methods of the Islamic Republic, and Iran pays no attention to them.' The U.S. House of Representatives condemned the persecution of Baha'is and other human rights violations in Iran in a resolution passed on September 22. A statement released following the resolution's approval noted that 'the regime's deplorable actions against its people, including executions without trial, acid attacks on women, and the brutal suppression of journalists, are well documented. Yes! We see how 'moderate' this government can be.' The statement further declared that Baha'is are 'victims of severe religious freedom violations' in Iran. In this context, there are '4,500' unresolved death penalty cases in Iran, acknowledged by the Minister of Justice, who admitted to 'serious problems' in the health conditions of prisons. The head of the Prison Organization claimed that Iran excels in respecting prisoners' rights globally. The Minister of Interior quoted Khamenei, stating that social issues should have been closely monitored 20 years ago. The head of the Prison Organization noted that Iranian prisons are three times over capacity.