Man gets clemency after 18 years on death row - but dies an hour after being pardoned

Dubai: An Iranian man, who had been on death row for 18 years, died of heart attack after a court in Bandar Abbas granted him clemency, local media reported on Sunday.

The 55-year-old man, who was convicted of first-degree murder, died of heart attack reported due to the fact that he was overjoyed with the court's pardon.

Over the past 18 years, he had been struggling to seek mercy from the victim’s family to escape the death sentence.

The man collapsed after hearing that the victim’s parents had pardoned him and accordingly the court granted him clemency. He was transferred to hospital where he was pronounced dead due to heart attack just one hour later.

In Iran, people who are convicted of murder are handed down the death penalty. They can escape the death sentence only if they are pardoned by the victim’s family.