Bloody Justice: Iran's Supreme Court Rocked as Controversial 'Death Commission' Judges Gunned Down in Brazen Inside Job

Nathan Rivero, 1/19/2025Two controversial Iranian judges assassinated inside Supreme Court by courthouse employee.

The victims — Ali Razini, 71, and Mohammad Moghisseh, 68 — were both controversial figures tied to Iran's notorious 1988 mass executions, which saw thousands of political prisoners systematically killed. The attack comes at a particularly volatile time for Iran, as it grapples with economic turmoil and mounting regional tensions.

According to state media, an armed assailant "infiltrated" the supreme court in what judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir described as a "planned act of assassination." The gunman, who reportedly worked within the courthouse system, took his own life after the deadly assault.

"This morning, a gunman infiltrated the supreme court in a planned act of assassination of two brave and experienced judges. The two judges were martyred in the act," reported the judiciary's Mizan Online website.

The attack — remarkable for breaching what should have been stringent security protocols — has prompted a swift investigation, with authorities already making multiple arrests. "Individuals have been identified, summoned or arrested in connection with the incident," Jahangir announced on state television, though specific details remain scarce.

Both judges carried controversial legacies. Moghisseh had earned U.S. sanctions in 2019 for what the Treasury Department described as overseeing "countless unfair trials, during which charges went unsubstantiated and evidence was disregarded." He gained particular notoriety for harsh sentences against journalists and religious minorities.

Razini — who narrowly survived a 1998 assassination attempt involving a magnetic bomb — had publicly defended his role in Iran's infamous 1988 "death commissions." In a 2017 interview with Shargh newspaper, he maintained the panels were "fair and completely in accordance with the law" — a stark contrast to international rights groups that estimate between 5,000 and 30,000 people were executed during that period.

President Masoud Pezeshkian has demanded swift action, stating: "I strongly urge the security and law enforcement forces to take the necessary measures as soon as possible by examining the dimensions and angles of this reprehensible act and to identify its perpetrators."

While attacks on judges remain rare in Iran, the country has witnessed several high-profile assassinations recently — including an October shooting of a Shiite Muslim preacher in Kazerun and the April 2023 killing of cleric Abbas Ali Soleimani in Mazandaran province.

The timing of these murders — amid Iran's economic struggles and regional tensions — raises troubling questions about internal security and potential destabilization within one of the Middle East's most powerful nations. The fact that an armed assailant could penetrate the supreme court's security measures suggests potentially deeper systemic vulnerabilities that Iranian authorities must now confront.

In a shocking display of violence that has rocked Iran's judicial establishment, two prominent judges were gunned down Saturday within the supposedly secure confines of Tehran's supreme court building — a brazen attack that exposes troubling vulnerabilities in the Islamic Republic's security apparatus.The victims — Ali Razini, 71, and Mohammad Moghisseh, 68 — were both controversial figures tied to Iran's notorious 1988 mass executions, which saw thousands of political prisoners systematically killed. The attack comes at a particularly volatile time for Iran, as it grapples with economic turmoil and mounting regional tensions.According to state media, an armed assailant "infiltrated" the supreme court in what judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir described as a "planned act of assassination." The gunman, who reportedly worked within the courthouse system, took his own life after the deadly assault."This morning, a gunman infiltrated the supreme court in a planned act of assassination of two brave and experienced judges. The two judges were martyred in the act," reported the judiciary's Mizan Online website.The attack — remarkable for breaching what should have been stringent security protocols — has prompted a swift investigation, with authorities already making multiple arrests. "Individuals have been identified, summoned or arrested in connection with the incident," Jahangir announced on state television, though specific details remain scarce.Both judges carried controversial legacies. Moghisseh had earned U.S. sanctions in 2019 for what the Treasury Department described as overseeing "countless unfair trials, during which charges went unsubstantiated and evidence was disregarded." He gained particular notoriety for harsh sentences against journalists and religious minorities.Razini — who narrowly survived a 1998 assassination attempt involving a magnetic bomb — had publicly defended his role in Iran's infamous 1988 "death commissions." In a 2017 interview with Shargh newspaper, he maintained the panels were "fair and completely in accordance with the law" — a stark contrast to international rights groups that estimate between 5,000 and 30,000 people were executed during that period.President Masoud Pezeshkian has demanded swift action, stating: "I strongly urge the security and law enforcement forces to take the necessary measures as soon as possible by examining the dimensions and angles of this reprehensible act and to identify its perpetrators."While attacks on judges remain rare in Iran, the country has witnessed several high-profile assassinations recently — including an October shooting of a Shiite Muslim preacher in Kazerun and the April 2023 killing of cleric Abbas Ali Soleimani in Mazandaran province.The timing of these murders — amid Iran's economic struggles and regional tensions — raises troubling questions about internal security and potential destabilization within one of the Middle East's most powerful nations. The fact that an armed assailant could penetrate the supreme court's security measures suggests potentially deeper systemic vulnerabilities that Iranian authorities must now confront.