Mizan reports that Iranian judges Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghiseh were shot dead by an armed assailant in a premeditated attack at the Tehran supreme court, prompting an investigation into the motivations and potential accomplices behind the act.
Assassination of Senior Iranian Judges Raises Alarm in Tehran
Assassination of Senior Iranian Judges Raises Alarm in Tehran
Two judges known for their controversial roles during the Islamic regime's earlier years were killed in an armed attack inside the Iranian supreme court.
In a shocking incident that has reverberated through Iran's legal circles, two high-ranking judges of the Iranian supreme court were fatally shot in what authorities are describing as a premeditated assassination. The judiciary's news outlet, Mizan, identifies the victims as judges Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghiseh, both of whom had faced criticism for their roles in the persecution of political dissidents during the 1980s and 1990s.
The attack unfolded on Saturday morning in the capital, Tehran, when an armed assailant reportedly entered the court premises. Eyewitnesses claim that after opening fire, the attacker took his own life as he attempted to flee the scene, leaving a bodyguard injured. The motives behind this deadly act remain a mystery, prompting a swift investigation by Iranian authorities into possible accomplices.
Initial reports suggest that the assailant was not involved in any cases handled by the supreme court, further complicating the inquiry into the motivations for targeting the judges. In a statement to the state-run news agency IRNA, the judiciary's media office condemned the killings, citing them as a targeted act.
Judges Razini and Moghiseh have been significant figures within Iran's judicial system, with the latter facing sanctions from the US in 2019 for presiding over trials criticized for lacking fairness. Razini himself survived an assassination attempt back in 1998, highlighting the perilous nature of judicial work in a country often rife with political tensions.
In 2023, both judges were further sanctioned, with Canada targeting Moghiseh specifically for his alleged role in severe human rights violations. This assassination brings to light the ongoing contentious relationship between the judiciary and those opposing the Islamic regime, as the investigation into the attack continues to unfold.
The attack unfolded on Saturday morning in the capital, Tehran, when an armed assailant reportedly entered the court premises. Eyewitnesses claim that after opening fire, the attacker took his own life as he attempted to flee the scene, leaving a bodyguard injured. The motives behind this deadly act remain a mystery, prompting a swift investigation by Iranian authorities into possible accomplices.
Initial reports suggest that the assailant was not involved in any cases handled by the supreme court, further complicating the inquiry into the motivations for targeting the judges. In a statement to the state-run news agency IRNA, the judiciary's media office condemned the killings, citing them as a targeted act.
Judges Razini and Moghiseh have been significant figures within Iran's judicial system, with the latter facing sanctions from the US in 2019 for presiding over trials criticized for lacking fairness. Razini himself survived an assassination attempt back in 1998, highlighting the perilous nature of judicial work in a country often rife with political tensions.
In 2023, both judges were further sanctioned, with Canada targeting Moghiseh specifically for his alleged role in severe human rights violations. This assassination brings to light the ongoing contentious relationship between the judiciary and those opposing the Islamic regime, as the investigation into the attack continues to unfold.
