Two Iranian Supreme Court judges fatally shot in in Tehran

Two senior Iranian judges were killed on Saturday in a shooting attack carried out by an unidentified armed man at the Supreme Court in Tehran. Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghiseh were assassinated by a gunman who immediately afterward committed suicide while attempting to flee.

While attacks against judges are rare, Iran has witnessed a significant number of targeted shootings in recent years. The leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, issued a condolence message. He noted, “Razini had been subject to malicious attempts in the past.” Attackers killed Razini’s brothers years ago, and assassins targeted him in 1999, but he survived.

To demonstrate zero tolerance for attacks, the prosecutor-general of Iran has ordered a “priority” investigation. The judiciary has also taken extensive measures to identify “hypocritical groups.” Judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir said that teams headed by the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office had identified individuals involved in this matter and that they will take action. Jahangir stated “The assassinations that have taken place these days indicate that the enemy has felt humiliated by the spirited resistance that the regime has shown in all areas”

Both victims held significant but infamous positions in Iran’s judicial system. The European Union, United Kingdom, and United States sanctioned them for their roles in human rights abuses. Iran’s opposition accuses Razini of involvement in extrajudicial killings of political prisoners and suppressing peaceful protests. They also accuse Moghiseh of violating the rights of minorities and overseeing the mass execution of political prisoners.

Iran’s WANA News Agency initially labeled the assassination as a terrorist act planned by foreign intelligence agencies. It warned that the infiltration of sensitive buildings and facilities in Iran is a serious threat.

Source » jurist.org