Two high-ranking judges in Iran have been fatally shot within the premises of the nation’s supreme court, according to reports from state media outlets.
The judiciary’s official news platform, Mizan, revealed that judges Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghiseh were targeted by an armed assailant who entered the court in Tehran on a Saturday morning. Following the attack, it is reported that the shooter took their own life while attempting to escape. Additionally, a bodyguard sustained injuries during this violent incident.
While the exact motivation behind this attack remains uncertain, both judges are known for their involvement in prosecuting and executing dissenters against Iran’s Islamic regime during the tumultuous periods of the 1980s and 1990s.
In a statement released to IRNA, a state-run news agency, officials from the judiciary characterized this incident as a calculated assassination. Preliminary investigations suggest that the perpetrator had no prior connection to any cases being handled by the supreme court. Authorities have initiated an inquiry aimed at identifying and apprehending any accomplices involved in this tragic event.
Asghar Jahangir, spokesperson for Iran’s judiciary system, informed state television that before opening fire inside the courtroom with a handgun, the attacker managed to gain entry without raising immediate suspicion. Notably, Judge Razini had previously survived an assassination attempt back in 1998.
Judge Moghiseh has faced international scrutiny; he was sanctioned by U.S. authorities in 2019 due to allegations of presiding over numerous unjust trials where evidence was often ignored or inadequately substantiated. At that time he served as a judge at Tehran’s Revolutionary Court and later ascended to his position on Iran’s supreme court in 2020.
Furthermore, Moghiseh was among seven Iranian judges who received sanctions from Canada earlier this year for their alleged roles in severe human rights violations against citizens within Iran.
This shocking event underscores ongoing tensions surrounding judicial practices within Iran and raises questions about security measures at key governmental institutions amidst rising discontent among various factions of society regarding human rights issues.