Iran has announced a pardon for 139 prisoners sentenced to death, according to the country’s judiciary spokesperson.

Judiciary spokesperson Ali Asghar Jahangir said the pardons were approved by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. He said it was the first time Iran had granted clemency to such a large number of death row prisoners at once.

According to Jahangir, the prisoners had no private complainants and were not convicted of security-related crimes. He said they qualified for clemency after showing improved conduct, expressing remorse and participating in rehabilitation programmes while in prison.

Iranian authorities did not immediately provide full details about the offences for which the prisoners had been sentenced or whether their death sentences had been commuted to prison terms.

Clemency decisions in Iran are usually made on the recommendation of the judiciary and require approval from the Supreme Leader. Previous pardons have included reductions in sentences and commutations of death penalties.

Also Read : Trump Says Iran Delayed Negotiations And Will Face Consequences