Iran protests: Protesters among prisoners pardoned by leader

Iran’s supreme leader has pardoned “tens of thousands” of prisoners, including many linked to anti-government protests.

State media reports the pardons by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei came with conditions.

The pardons come on the eve of the anniversary of the Islamic revolution in 1979.

Demonstrations erupted last September following the death in custody of a woman held by Iran’s morality police.

Mahsa Amini, 22, was arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab, or headscarf, “improperly” - in violation of Iran’s strict dress code for women.

Authorities have portrayed the protests - which are still continuing - as foreign-backed “riots” and at times have responded with lethal force.

Human rights groups say more than 500 demonstrators have been killed, including 70 minors, and around 20,000 have been arrested.

Protests around the country have slowed considerably since the first of the hangings began.

Iran’s state media says Ayatollah Khamenei’s latest pardons came after a letter from the head of the judiciary framed many of those detained as young people who’d been led astray by foreign influence and propaganda.

The letter claims that a number of protesters had expressed regret and asked for forgiveness.

But those charged with more serious offences - such as spying for foreign agents, murder or destruction of state property - will not be pardoned.

The measure will also not extend to any dual nationals currently being detained.

Under Article 110 of the Iranian constitution, the country’s supreme leader has the authority to issue pardons at the recommendation of the judiciary.

Sadeq Rahimi, the deputy judiciary chief, explained that those inmates who are qualified to be pardoned must pledge in writing that they regret what they have done otherwise, they will not be freed.

According to a report by the judiciary-affiliated news agency, Mizan, Mr Rahimi said that “for the first time ever” defendants who have not received any final verdict will be also pardoned.

Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights estimates that at least 100 people in detention are facing death sentences. It says that all defendants have been “deprived of the right to access their own lawyer, due process and fair trials”.

Four have already been executed for crimes connected to the protests. In January two men were hanged for killing a member of Iran’s security forces.

The pair launched an appeal before their deaths, saying they had been tortured.

Speaking during his nightly address, President Zelensky said: “Things are very difficult in Donetsk region - fierce battles.” But, he added, “we have no alternative to defending ourselves and winning”.

The UK’s Ministry of Defence said Ukrainian forces in Bakhmut are getting increasingly isolated as the Russians continue to make small advances in its attempt to encircle the town.

It added that the two main roads into Bakhmut were likely being threatened by direct fire.

• In the north-eastern city of Kharkiv, five people were wounded after strikes hit civilian buildings in the city, local authorities have said.

• Five others were injured in the Donetsk region during rocket attacks, according to regional leader Pavlo Kyrylenko

The Chinese government has admitted a balloon spotted over Latin America on Friday is from China - but claimed it is intended for civilian use.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the aircraft had deviated from its route, having been blown off course.

A similar balloon was shot down in US airspace by military jets on Saturday amid allegations that it was being used for surveillance.

China has denied accusations of spying, saying it was monitoring the weather.

The incident has led to a diplomatic row between Washington and Beijing.

On Friday - before fighter jets brought down the balloon at the weekend - US military officials said a second Chinese balloon had been spotted over Latin America.

On Monday, China admitted an aircraft had “accidentally entered Latin American and Caribbean airspace”.

Ms Mao told reporters the second balloon had “deviated greatly” from its intended route, citing the aircraft’s “limited manoeuvrability” and the weather conditions.

“The unmanned airship in question that came from China is of a civilian nature and used for flight tests,” she added.

“China is a responsible country and has always strictly abided by international law in order to inform and properly deal with all parties concerned, without posing any threat to any country.”

At the weekend, Colombia’s air force said an object with “characteristics similar to those of a balloon” had been detected on 3 February in the country’s airspace at above 55,000ft.

Colombia said it had followed the object until it left the airspace, adding that it did not represent a threat to national security.

Meanwhile, work by US Navy divers continues to recover the wreckage of the surveillance balloon that was shot down off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday.

US President Joe Biden first approved the plan to bring down the balloon on Wednesday, but decided to wait until it was over water so as not to put people on the ground at risk.

The US believes the balloon was being used to monitor sensitive military sites.

Adm Mike Mullen, former chair of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, rejected China’s suggestion it might have blown off course,

The trial for the largest national security case in Hong Kong has begun, with some 47 people accused of “subversion” for holding an unofficial primary election.

They include some of the city’s most prominent pro-democracy figures, such as activists Joshua Wong and Benny Tai.

Most of them have been detained for the past two years on security grounds.

Critics say the city’s controversial national security law is used as a tool to crush dissent.

But Chinese and Hong Kong authorities maintain it is needed to curb unrest.

On Monday long queues of supporters were seen outside the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court, where the hearing is taking place.

A small group of protesters also gathered outside the court. “Crackdown is shameless,” read one banner which added: “Immediately release all political prisoners.”

Prosecutors charge that the unofficial primary election - held to select candidates to contest a legislative election - was a “vicious plot” to subvert the saying it was manoeuvrable because “it has propellers on it”.

“This was not an accident. This was deliberate. It was intelligence,” he added.

Relations between China and the US have been strained by the incident, with the Pentagon