Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, is said to have released “tens of thousands” of detainees, many of whom were detained on security-related charges after being detained during recent anti-government demonstrations.

According to official media, prisoners who are not accused of spying for foreign governments, having direct communication with foreign agents, causing intentional death or damage, destroying or setting fire to state property, or not having a private plaintiff in their case will be released.

The pardons were announced in honour of the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

According to the HRANA activist news agency, about 20,000 people have been arrested over anti-government protests sparked by the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish Iranian woman, in September.