BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 17
By Elnur Baghishov - Trend
About 85,000 prisoners have been temporarily released due to the spread of coronavirus in Iran, said Gholamhossein Esmaeili, Iran's Judiciary spokesman, Trend reports citing Tasnim news agency.
According to Esmaeili, this accounts for more than 50 percent of all prisoners in Iran.
Esmaeili added that the prisoners who could pose a threat to civilians, including those related to armed robbery, kidnapping and large-scale fraud, were not released.
"Meanwhile, prisons take care of the health of detainees," he said.
Iran is one of the countries heavily affected by the rapidly-spreading coronavirus. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 16,100 people have been infected, 988 people have already died. Reportedly, over 5,300 people have recovered from the disease.
The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease.
Following the reports of coronavirus spread in the Islamic Republic, several countries have taken measures, including closing borders and banning flights.
The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19.