Iran extends prisoners’ furloughs amid virus fight

Young journalists club

News ID: 45546
Iran » Iran
Publish Date: 11:15 - 25 March 2020
Tehran 25 March_Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has announced an extension to the furloughs granted earlier this month to tens of thousands of prisoners as a preventative measure aimed at stopping the spread of the new coronavirus.

Iran extends prisoners’ furloughs amid virus fightTEHRAN, Young Journalists Club(YJC)_Rouhani was addressing a session of the National Headquarters for Managing and Fighting the Coronavirus in Tehran on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, the Iranian Judiciary said some 85,000 prisoners, including half of inmates serving time on security charges, had temporarily been freed due to the virus spread.

Rouhani further said the furloughs that were initially decided to last until April 3 would now be extended until April 19. The headquarters, he added, would duly announce any further decisions it may take concerning the subsequent status of the furloughed inmates.

The president said around 166,000 civil servants had also been found eligible to telecommute and would work from home on a rotational basis until April 3.

Iran’s health system — including hospitals, physicians, and nurses — should be supported in such a way that the country would not experience any shortage as it handles the outbreak, the president said. “However, we have not faced any shortcoming at any of the hospitals so far,” he noted.

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