Two Judges Killed in Tehran

Helen Zivar

On Saturday, January 18, 2025, two prominent judges, Mohammad Mogheise and Ali Razini, were shot and killed in Tehran, Iran. They followed the fate of other judges, such as Lajevardi, Raisi, and others who were known in the country for the role they played in the “1988 death commission” that led to the massacre of thousands of leftist political prisoners. As a result of their brutality, these judges earned nicknames such as “Butcher of Tehran” and “Death Judge”. It is said that the assailant shot and injured a third judge and a bodyguard and subsequently turned the weapon on himself, ending his own life.

The government and its media have provided different stories about the incident and the shooter, trying to quickly come up with a story to best save their face and cover up ordinary people’s increased hatred towards the brutal judicial system and also their own incompetence in providing security for high-rank officials. Therefore, as in prior cases (such as the crash of former President Raisi’s helicopter that led to his death), there has been much speculation. No group has officially taken responsibility for the attack, but the government attempted to blame Mojahedin-e Khalgh (MEK)—an organization that had been active in the armed struggle against the US-backed Shah leading up to the 1979 revolution but has lately received the backing of the US State Department against the current Iranian government—for planning and executing the killings.

In response, people on social media have exposed the flawed logic in the government’s official explanation. According to some evidence, the shooter was a 31-year-old custodian who worked in the Tehran Judicial Palace building for over ten years. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, however, both judges had participated in the mass execution of dissidents in 1988. This involvement had previously made Razini a target, including an assassination attempt in 1999.

In an interview with a state newspaper in 2020, Razini explained that “we executed the members of MEK based on [former supreme leader] Khomeini’s order with no need for any lawyers or any barriers, in only 30 minutes we issued the sentence and executed them right then and there”.

The Palace of Justice in Tehran serves as the headquarters of the country’s judiciary and typically has tight security. The judiciary’s Mizan news agency reported that the attacker did not have a case in the Supreme Court nor was he a client of the court’s branches.

The killings have sent shock waves throughout Iran, a country already grappling with economic and political turmoil and regional conflicts. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei offered his condolences for the “martyrdom” of both judges.

Photo: The two Iranian judges Mohammad Mogheise (L) and Ali Razini (R), killed on January 18, 2025. Credit: IRNA.

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