Iran has released approximately 70,000 prisoners because of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, Iranian judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi said on Monday, according to Mizan, the news site of the judiciary.
“The release of the prisoners, to the point where it doesn’t create insecurity in society ... will continue,” he said.
Raisi did not specify if or when those released would need to return to jail.
Iran has had 237 deaths from coronavirus and 7,161 infections, Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said on state TV on Monday.
The figures included 595 new infections and 43 new deaths within the past 24 hours. Iran has had one of the highest death rates from the illness outside of China, where the virus originated.
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