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2025 assassination of Iranian Supreme Court judges

Coordinates: 35°40′54″N 51°25′08″E / 35.6816°N 51.4189°E / 35.6816; 51.4189
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(Redirected from Ali Razini)

2025 assassination of Iranian Supreme Court judges
The funeral with Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei (center) in attendance
LocationSupreme Court of Iran, Tehran, Iran
Coordinates35°40′54″N 51°25′08″E / 35.6816°N 51.4189°E / 35.6816; 51.4189
Date18 January 2025
10:30 a.m. (IRST)
TargetJudges
Attack type
Mass shooting, assassination, murder–suicide, stabbing
WeaponsHandgun, knife
Deaths3 (including the perpetrator)
Injured1
VictimsAli Razini [fa] and Mohammad Moghiseh [fa]
PerpetratorFarshad Asadi [fa]
MotiveUnder investigation

On 18 January 2025, an attack took place at the Supreme Court of Iran, located inside the Palace of Justice in Tehran, Iran.[1] Initial reports stated that the shooting occurred when a man armed with a knife entered, attacking a bodyguard before taking control of the bodyguard's handgun and opening fire. Ali Razini [fa] and Mohammad Moghiseh [fa], two senior judges, were shot to death in their offices.[2][3] The judges shot were involved in adjudicating the cases of protesters, artists, and activists[4] in bench trials and reportedly had roles in the 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners.[1][5]

The perpetrator committed suicide soon after the shooting, before he could be apprehended.[6] No potential motive has been released.[7]

Background

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According to Article 161 of the 1979 Constitution of Iran, the Supreme Court (Persian: دیوان عالی کشور, romanized: Divan-e 'Ali-ye Keshvar) is the highest juridical authority in the country, established for "the purpose of supervising the correct implementation of the laws by the courts, ensuring uniformity of judicial procedure, and fulfilling any other responsibilities assigned to it by law."[8] Iran's legal system is based on Islamic law. According to Preamble 10, titled The Judiciary in the Constitution, jurists must operate "with meticulous knowledge of the Islamic laws."[9]

In 2005, judge Hassan Moghaddas was also assassinated.[10]

Attack

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The attack began when a man, armed with a knife, entered Branch 39 of the Supreme Court, located inside the Palace of Justice in Tehran[1] and stabbed a bodyguard before taking his handgun.[7] He then fired six shots, killing two senior judges.[11][6] Early reports that three judges of the court had been targeted were denied by the Iranian government.[12]

The assailant shot himself on the third floor of the building while fleeing the scene after hearing police sirens.[13][6]

In a media statement, the judiciary said that "preliminary investigations indicate that the perpetrator had no prior cases in the Supreme Court nor was he one of its visitors" and described the attack as a "premeditated assassination".[14]

Fatalities

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Ali Razini (left) and Mohammad Moghiseh (right).

Ali Razini

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Ali Razini (Persian: علی رازینی; 23 May 1953[15] – 18 January 2025) was an Iranian judge and politician. He served in the Assembly of Experts from 2007 to 2016.[16] Razini had been a target of an assassination attempt in 1998.[17] At the time of his assassination, he was aged 71.[7]

Mohammad Moghiseh

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Mohammad Moghiseh (Persian: محمد مقیسه; 1956 – 18 January 2025) was an Iranian judge. He served on the Supreme Court of Iran from 2020 until his death.[18] Moqiseh (Moghiseh) was the sentencing judge of Nasrin Sotoudeh and adjudicated the case of Hossein Rajabian. He was sanctioned in December 2019 by the United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) "pursuant to E.O. 13846 for engaging in censorship and other activities with respect to Iran on or after 12 July 2009 that prohibit, limit, or penalize the exercise of freedom of expression or assembly by citizens of Iran".[4][19][20] At the time of his assassination, he was aged 68.[6][7]

Perpetrator

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The perpetrator was identified as 39-year-old Iranian citizen Farshad Asadi, who was born in 1986.[21] Asadi worked at the Supreme Court for seven to eight years as a service worker and drink carrier. His motives are currently unknown, but it is known that the attack was planned and that Asadi did not get the salary increase he wanted. He is being investigated by authorities.[22]

Aftermath

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In a message, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei offered his condolences for the "martyrdom" of both judges.[5] Khamenei also lauded them as Mujahid brothers.[23] President Masoud Pezeshkian said the "terrorist and cowardly" act must be followed up quickly by security forces and law enforcement.[14]

The Iranian judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir stated that the judges were working on "national security cases, including espionage and terrorism."[17] According to the state-affiliated newspaper Tehran Times, a number of people working at the court building where the attack took place were detained.[14]

Prosecutor-General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri described the killings as the "price" the Islamic Republic paid for its "survival". He stated that "capable young judges" would soon replace them.[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Gambrell, Jon (19 January 2025). "Gunman shoots dead 2 judges in Iran's capital tied to 1988 mass executions". AP News. Archived from the original on 18 January 2025. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  2. ^ George, Susannah (18 January 2025). "Two Iranian Supreme Court judges shot dead in rare Tehran attack". The Washington Post.
  3. ^ "Two Iranian Judges Killed in Tehran in Possible Foreign Plot". Bloomberg.com. 18 January 2025. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  4. ^ a b Salem, Mostafa (18 January 2025). "Two high-profile Iranian judges killed in Tehran in a 'planned assassination'". CNN. Archived from the original on 19 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Judges shot dead in Iran's supreme court building". The Indian Express. 19 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d "Iran: Two supreme court judges shot dead in Tehran". BBC News. 18 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d "2 Iranian Supreme Court Judges Killed In Tehran". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 18 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  8. ^ "iranonline.com Iranian government constitution, The Judiciary". Archived from the original on 10 April 2008. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran - Wikisource, the free online library". en.wikisource.org. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  10. ^ "2 judges shot dead at Iran's supreme court: media". Voice of America. 18 January 2025. Archived from the original on 18 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  11. ^ "Iran: Two supreme court judges shot dead in Tehran". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  12. ^ "Denial of claim that Judge Miri was injured in today's terrorist incident in Tehran/ In addition to the martyrdom of two prominent Supreme Court judges, only the bodyguard of martyr Razini was injured". Mizan Online (in Persian). Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  13. ^ "Judges shot dead in Iran's supreme court building". The Guardian. AFP. 18 January 2025. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  14. ^ a b c "Two Supreme Court judges killed in Tehran shooting attack". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 19 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  15. ^ "بیوگرافی آیت الله علی رازینی ! / از سمت ها تا 3 بار ترور ! + عکس" [Biography of Ayatollah Ali Razini! / Assassinated from various positions up to 3 times! + Photo]. رکنا. 19 January 2025. Archived from the original on 19 January 2025. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  16. ^ "روحانیون جامانده از خبرگان پنجم" [The remaining clerics from the Fifth Experts] (in Persian). 1 March 2016. Archived from the original on 19 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  17. ^ a b "Two Supreme Court judges shot dead in Tehran, Iranian judiciary says". Reuters. 18 January 2025. Archived from the original on 18 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  18. ^ "Mohammad Moghiseh: The Iranian Supreme Court's Hanging Judge" (PDF). www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com. June 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  19. ^ "Treasury Sanctions Two Judges Who Penalize Iranians for Exercising Freedoms of Expression and Assembly". home.treasury.gov. Archived from the original on 18 January 2025. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  20. ^ "Sanctions List Search". sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov. Archived from the original on 18 January 2025. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  21. ^ "اختصاصی؛ فرشاد اسدی، آبدارچی دادگستری پس از ربودن اسلحه یک محافظ رازینی و مقیسه را کشت" [Exclusive: Farshad Asadi, a Justice Department official, killed a Razini and Moghiseh bodyguard after stealing his weapon.]. The Independent (in Persian). 19 January 2025. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  22. ^ "هویت آبدراچی قاتل لو رفت/ فرشاد اسدی که بود؟" [The identity of Abderrachi the murderer was revealed/Who was Farshad Asadi?] (in Persian). shahrekhabar-com. 19 January 2025. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  23. ^ Khamenei, Sayyid Ali (18 January 2025). "Leader's message of condolence following martyrdom of two eminent judges". Khamenei.ir. Archived from the original on 19 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  24. ^ "Iran's Prosecutor-General Calls Judges' Killings a 'Price' for Survival". Iranwire. 20 January 2025.
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