In a significant incident on Saturday, January 18, 2025, two prominent Iranian regime Supreme Court judges were killed in a shooting at the Supreme Court building in Tehran. State media reported that the attack also left one person injured, and the assailant reportedly took his own life.
Mizan Online, the regime judiciary’s official news outlet, identified the victims as Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghiseh, both known for their roles in cases involving “crimes against national security, espionage, and terrorism.” While the motive behind the killings remains unclear, authorities stated that the attacker had no prior involvement in cases before the Supreme Court, withholding further details about the individual.
Profiles of the Victims
Mohammad Moghiseh: The “Hanging Judge”
Mohammad Moghiseh, infamous for his severe judicial practices, was widely known for human rights violations. Dubbed “The Hanging Judge,” Moghiseh presided over numerous cases that resulted in death sentences and lengthy imprisonments on politically motivated or fabricated charges.
Moghiseh’s judicial career began in 1981 under pseudonyms such as Nasserian and Hajj Nasser. He first served as a judge at Branch 3 of the court at Evin Prison, a facility notorious for its harsh conditions and systemic torture. Over the years, he held various positions, including:
- Assistant prosecutor at Evin Prison during the 1980s.
- Attending judge at Ghezel Hessar Prison, Iran’s regime’s largest state prison, in 1985.
- Warden of Gohardasht Prison, infamous for cases of torture, rape, and extrajudicial killings.
Moghiseh’s name is closely associated with the 1988 massacre of thousands of political prisoners, many of whom were tortured or executed under his supervision. After the massacre, he rose through the ranks, becoming chief judge of Branch 28 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court and, later, a Supreme Court judge in 2020.
Both the European Union and the United States sanctioned Moghiseh for his role in egregious human rights abuses. The EU designated him in 2011 under Council Decision 2011/235/CFSP, freezing his assets and barring transactions. The U.S. followed suit in 2019, imposing sanctions under Executive Order 13846, which included similar asset freezes and restrictions.
Ali Razini: Architect of Repression
Ali Razini’s judicial career was similarly marked by serious human rights violations. Known for his role in suppressing dissent, Razini held numerous key positions in Iran’s regime’s judicial system:
- Religious magistrate in Bojnurd and Mashhad, where he frequently issued death sentences, including for political prisoners.
- Prosecutor in Mashhad, overseeing thousands of executions of dissidents in Khorasan Province during the early 1980s.
- Revolutionary prosecutor in Tehran from 1984, directly supervising executions until 1987.
- Head magistrate at the Special Clerical Court, targeting clerics critical of the regime.
- Legal Deputy to the Judiciary, orchestrating the suppression of the 2009 protests against Iran’s regime’s presidential election results.
Razini’s tenure was marred by reports of widespread abuse. During his time in Mashhad, young women sentenced to death for minor offenses were reportedly raped by prison guards before execution, with families receiving dowries as grim tokens afterward. Razini’s enforcement of stoning sentences and his role in orchestrating sham trials further cemented his legacy as a key figure in Iran’s regime’s machinery of repression.
The Revolutionary Courts: Instruments of Oppression
Both judges operated within Iran’s regime’s Revolutionary Court system, established in 1979 by the regime’s first Supreme Leader, Ruhollah Khomeini. These courts were designed to eliminate opposition through closed trials, predetermined verdicts, and denial of due process. Over the decades, they have become synonymous with human rights abuses, targeting political dissidents, activists, and journalists.
International Condemnation and Legacy
The deaths of Moghiseh and Razini highlight the contentious legacy of Iran’s regime’s judiciary, which has long been criticized for its role in systemic oppression. Both figures were sanctioned internationally for their actions, reflecting the global outcry over Iran’s regime’s human rights record.
While the motive for the attack remains under investigation, the deaths of these judges bring renewed attention to the controversial practices of Iran’s regime’s judiciary and the ongoing struggle for justice and accountability in the country.
