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Two Senior Iranian Judges Killed in Supreme Court Shooting
In a shocking incident reported by state media, two prominent judges in Iran have been shot and killed at the country’s supreme court. The judiciary’s official news outlet, Mizan, revealed that the victims, Judges Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghiseh, were attacked when an armed individual entered the court premises in Tehran on Saturday morning.
Following the shooting, the assailant reportedly took their own life while attempting to escape, leaving a bodyguard injured in the process. As of now, the motive behind this violent act remains uncertain. Both judges are noted for their contentious histories, having been involved in the persecution of political opponents during the turbulent years of the 1980s and 1990s under the Islamic regime.
In remarks to the state news agency IRNA, the judiciary’s media office characterized the event as a deliberate assassination, emphasizing that initial investigations suggest the perpetrator had no association with any cases being heard by the supreme court. Authorities have initiated inquiries to identify additional individuals who may have played a role in the incident.
Asghar Jahangir, the judiciary’s spokesman, elaborated on the attack during a segment on Iranian state television, confirming that the assailant entered the court armed with a handgun and opened fire on the judges.
Judge Razini previously survived an assassination attempt in 1998, indicating a history of threats against individuals in his position. Judge Moghiseh, on the other hand, was subjected to U.S. sanctions in 2019, accused of presiding over numerous unjust trials where evidence was often ignored, and charges remained unsupported. At the time of the sanctions, he served as a judge in the Tehran Revolutionary Court and was elevated to the supreme court in 2020.
Furthermore, Moghiseh was one of seven judges sanctioned by Canada in 2023, with the Canadian government citing their roles in “gross and systematic human rights violations” as the basis for these measures.
Source
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