Two Former Iranian Judges Linked to 1988 Mass Executions Assassinated in Tehran Courthouse Attack

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — In a dramatic and rare breach of security, two senior Iranian judges known for their hard-line judgements were fatally shot in Tehran on Saturday. The suspects behind the attack, which also wounded a bodyguard, are currently the focus of a broadening investigation.

The deceased judges, identified as clerics Mohammad Mogheiseh and Ali Razini, had presided over numerous controversial trials, including those involving stringent sentences against journalists and minority groups. Both had allegedly played roles in the mass execution of dissidents in 1988, an event still shrouded in stark controversy within Iranian history.

The attack took place at the Palace of Justice, the nerve center of Iran’s judiciary, which is typically under stringent security measures. Initial reports from Iran’s state-run media hinted at the suicide of the attacker right after the shootings, further intensifying the mystery surrounding the motives and the breaches in security protocol.

Following the shooting, Asghar Jahangir, a spokesperson for Iran’s judiciary, indicated on state television that the shooter appeared to have insider knowledge of the courthouse’s operations. Jahangir described the assailant as an “infiltrator,” implying he either worked within the judiciary setup or had connections that facilitated his entry and actions.

In the hours following the attack, authorities moved quickly, identifying and detaining several individuals linked to the incident, suggesting a potentially larger plot or network. The judiciary has launched a full-scale investigation to unravel the specifics of the plot and prevent future incidents.

This incident adds another layer of tension to an already strained environment in Iran, where economic difficulties, coupled with external diplomatic and military pressures, have led to heightened internal security concerns.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed his condolences, referring to the judges as “martyrs” of the Iranian state. This label underscores the significant role they played within the judicial hierarchy and hints at the politically charged nature of their careers and deaths.

The dubious legacy of the 1988 executions, in which thousands of dissidents were reportedly killed, has long haunted the careers of figures like Mogheiseh and Razini. While Iran has not officially acknowledged the scale of these executions, they remain a dark chapter in the country’s post-revolutionary history, often cited by international human rights groups as a significant violation of human rights.

Despite facing previous threats, including a 1999 assassination attempt against Razini, the judges continued to hold significant influence within Iran’s judicial system. Their roles often placed them at the heart of Iran’s most politically sensitive cases, overseeing trials that drew international criticism for perceived injustices and lack of due process.

Mogheiseh, in particular, had been under U.S. sanctions since 2019 for his judicial practices, which the U.S. Treasury described as overseeing “countless unfair trials.” His record included harsh actions against Iran’s Baha’i community and heavy sentences for media personalities and internet activists.

The shooting disrupts the semblance of impenetrable security typically associated with Iran’s judiciary and raises questions about possible internal dissent or factionalism within the country’s power structures. As investigations continue, the repercussions of these killings may reverberate through the highest levels of Iranian politics and judiciary, potentially altering the course of future legal and political actions in the Islamic Republic.