Two Iranian ‘death rowers’ were shot down in Tehran

A gunman fatally shot two notorious Iranian judges at the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Court on Saturday.

Judges Mohammad Moghiseh and Ali Razini were known for ordering harsh sentences, including executions, during their decades-long careers. Such judges are known as “death judges” and “executioners” i Iran.

Iran’s judiciary said a “planned assassination” was carried out by “an armed infiltrator” inside the Supreme Court building in Tehran, the capital.

“Based on preliminary investigations, the person in question neither had a case in the Supreme Court nor was visited by its divisions,” the judiciary said in a report.

The assailant shot the Supreme Court judges before “quickly committing suicide”.

Foreign involvement not excluded

Asghar Jahangir, a spokesman for Iran’s judiciary, told state television that the assailant was armed with a gun.

“Around 10 to 10.45 this morning, the assailant entered the offices of two brave and experienced judges of the Supreme Court,” he said.

“We do not know the motive behind the attack as the assailant killed himself while fleeing the scene, but we are investigating,” he added.

Although no group has claimed responsibility, Iran’s judiciary did not rule out foreign involvement.

“It is worth noting that over the past year, the judiciary has carried out extensive operations to identify, pursue, arrest and prosecute individuals and elements associated with the evil Zionist regime, US allies, spies and terrorist groups.”

The building was evacuated after the shooting.

Directly involved in crimes against humanity

The shooting marks one of the most significant attacks on Iran’s judiciary in recent years.

Both ayatollahs held senior positions in Iran’s legal system.

Moghiseh, who faced sanctions from the United States and the European Union for human rights abuses, had handed down more than 1,600 years in prison in 335 cases in recent years, according to human rights groups.

He was particularly known for prosecuting political prisoners following Iran’s 2009 presidential election protests.

Razini, who headed Division 41 of the Supreme Court, had previously survived a car bomb attempt in 1999.

His career included serving as Tehran’s revolutionary prosecutor and holding various high-ranking judicial posts.

He was also involved in trials related to the mass executions in Iran in 1988, when thousands of political prisoners were sent to the gallows.

“Mohammad Moghiseh and Ali Razini were directly involved in crimes against humanity and continued their atrocities until the last days of their lives by approving the death sentences of (the regime’s) opponents,” said Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of Norway-based Iran Humane. rights organization.

‘We should put explosives in your mouth’

Former Iranian prisoners whose cases were overseen by the judges took to social media to share their experiences after the shooting.

“Judge Moghiseh sentenced me to nine years in prison in a hearing that lasted less than nine minutes,” said one former prisoner.

“On the day of the trial, when I came out of his office, I saw two young men in the worst possible condition … I asked the guard why they were tied like that, with a nasty smile, he replied,” Judge Moghiseh has ruled them to death.’”

Another former prisoner said: “Moghiseh was the judge in my case. He said, ‘We should put explosives in your mouth and blow it up.’

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