Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i

Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i (Persian: غلامحسین محسنی اژه‌ای, romanizedĞolām-Hoseyn Mohseni Eže'i, Persian pronunciation: [ɢolɒːmhoˈsejn mohseˈniː eʒeˈjiː]; born 29 September 1956) is an Iranian conservative politician, Islamic jurist and prosecutor who currently serves as Chief Justice of Iran.

Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i
غلامحسین محسنی اژه‌ای
Mohseni-Eje'i in 2023
Chief Justice of Iran
Assumed office
1 July 2021
Appointed byAli Khamenei
Preceded byEbrahim Raisi
First Deputy to the Chief Justice of Iran
In office
23 August 2014 – 1 July 2021
Appointed bySadeq Larijani
Preceded byEbrahim Raisi
Succeeded byMohmmad Mosaddegh kahnamouei
Spokesman of Judicial system of the Islamic Republic of Iran
In office
16 September 2010[3] – 8 April 2019
Appointed bySadeq Larijani
Preceded byAlireza Jamshidi
Succeeded byGholam-Hossein Esmaeili
Prosecutor-General of Iran
In office
24 August 2009 – 23 August 2014
Appointed bySadeq Larijani
Preceded byGhorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi
Succeeded byEbrahim Raisi
6th Minister of Intelligence
In office
24 August 2005 – 23 July 2009
PresidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad
Preceded byAli Younesi
Succeeded byMahmoud Ahmadinejad (Acting)[4]
Personal details
Born (1956-09-29) 29 September 1956 (age 68)
Isfahan, Imperial State of Iran
Alma materHaghani Seminary

He was the minister of intelligence from 2005 to July 2009, when he was abruptly dismissed. He has also held a number of governmental posts since 1984.

Early life and education

edit

Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i was born in Ezhiyeh, Isfahan, Imperial State of Iran in 1956.[5] He is a graduate of the Haqqani school in Qom[6] and one of his teachers was Mesbah Yazdi.[7][8] He also received a master's degree in international law from the Haqqani school.[9]

Career

edit

Mohseni-Eje'i served as Head of the Ministry of Intelligence's Select Committee from 1984 to 1985. He was then Representative of the Head of Judiciary to the Ministry of Intelligence (1986–88). From 1989 to 1990, he served as Head of the Prosecutor's Office for economic affairs. Next, he held the post of Representative of the Head of Judiciary to the Ministry of Intelligence, from 1991 to 1994. His next post was Prosecutor of the Special Clerical Court, which he held from 1995 to 1997. He was appointed Minister of Intelligence on 24 August 2005 after securing 217 votes in his favor at the Majlis.[10] He was in office until 26 July 2009, when he was abruptly dismissed.[7] No reason was given for his dismissal,[11] but it was thought to be connected to his opposition to the appointment of Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei as first vice-president.[7] As a spokesman for the judiciary, he has also been accountable to the media and journalists.[12]

Prosecutor general

edit

Shortly after his dismissal, on 24 August 2009, he was appointed Prosecutor general of Iran by the Head of Judiciary, Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani,[13][14] replacing Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi.[14]

Special Clerical Court

edit

In 1998, with the ruling of Seyyed Ali Khamenei, ⁣[15] he succeeded Mohammad Reyshahri, who held the position of Attorney General of the Special Clerical Court. He has also been the Special Prosecutor for the Clergy for two years.

One notable incident during his tenure at Special Clergy court is having a fight with Eisa Saharkhiz and biting him.[16]

Scientific records

edit

Mohseni Ejei has a teaching background in the Baqer al-Uloom College of the Ministry of Intelligence, teaching in the educational department of the Revolutionary Courts, as well as the Faculty of Judicial Sciences.[17]

Activities and views

edit

In 2000, Eje'i was named by journalist Akbar Ganji as having personally ordered the killing of Pirouz Davani, one of the 80+ Iranian intellectuals murdered in the Chain murders of Iran[18]

On 15 July 2009, Mohseni-Eje'i told reporters that his ministry might publicize confessions made by people held for weeks without access to their lawyers. He said, "The confessions obtained from those arrested could be made public, should the Judiciary decide to air their remarks." Human rights activists raised concerns that "these so-called confessions are obtained under duress."[19]

After his dismissal, president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad praised Mohsen-Eje'i as a good human being, but said his removal was necessary as the ministry needed huge changes to cope with the situation. He further said if the ministry had done its job properly, there would not have been post-election bloody riots in which some people died, but he stopped short of criticizing Mohseni-Eje'i as responsible for them.[20]

According to Stratfor, Mohseni-Eje'i is a conservative hardliner affiliated with hardline cleric Mohammad Yazdi.[21]

Mohsen-Eje'i has indicated he would welcome alternative punishments to the death penalty for some drug traffickers, if these alternatives proposed by teachers were more effective punishments than the death penalty. However, he stated that, so far, critics of the death penalty in Iran have not offered alternatives that would deal effectively with Iran's drug gangs.[22]

Sanctions

edit

Mohseni-Eje'i was among several Iranian officials that were sanctioned in 2011 by the United States Department of State and the European Union for his role in suppressing the 2009 Iranian presidential election protests.[23]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "درباره حجت الاسلام محسني اژه اي چه مي دانيم؟/دانشنامه". yjc.ir. Young Journalists Club. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  2. ^ "محسنی اژه ای در حالی می گوید مرا آیت الله نخوانید که بعضی افراد از رسانه ها می خواهند به آنها آیت الله بگویند". khabaronline.ir. Khabaronline News Agancy. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  3. ^ "انتصاب محسنی اژه‌ای به عنوان سخنگوی قوه‌قضائیه". Donya-e Eqtesad. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  4. ^ Abbas Milani (3 August 2009). "Inside The Civil War That's Threatening The Iranian Regime". New Republic. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  5. ^ "Iran: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad presented his cabinet". Caucaz Europenews. 14 August 2005. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
  6. ^ Shmuel Bar; Shmuel Bacher; Rachel Machtiger (January 2008). "Iranian nuclear decision making under Ahmedinejad" (PDF). Lauder School of Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  7. ^ a b c Sahimi, Muhammad (26 July 2009). "Ahmadinejad Sacks Ministers; Mashaei to Remain Close". PBS. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  8. ^ David E. Thaler; Alireza Nader; Shahram Chubin; Jerrold D. Green; Charlotte Lynch; Frederic Wehrey (2010). "Factionalism and the Primacy of Informal Networks". Mullahs, Guards, and Bonyads (PDF). Santa Monica: RAND Corporation. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  9. ^ Yonah Alexander; Milton M. Hoenig (2008). The New Iranian Leadership: Ahmadinejad, Terrorism, Nuclear Ambition, and the Middle East. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-275-99639-0. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  10. ^ "Iran: 17 proposed ministers receive votes of confidence, 4 rejected". Payvand. 25 August 2005. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  11. ^ "Iran intelligence minister sacked". BBC News. 26 July 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  12. ^ What do we know about Hojjatoleslam Mohseni Ejei? / Encyclopedia YJC
  13. ^ Iran's sacked minister appointed as prosecutor general. 25 August 2009
  14. ^ a b "Iran's sacked minister named top prosecutor". Al Arabiya. 24 August 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  15. ^ Appointment of Mr. Mohseni Ejei as the Prosecutor of the Special Clerical Court khamenei.ir
  16. ^ "BBC Persian". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  17. ^ محسنی اژه‌ای[permanent dead link] تابناک (وبگاه)، دریافت شده در ۱۰ خرداد ۱۴۰۰
  18. ^ "Iranian journalist names names". 30 November 2000. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  19. ^ "Iran: Stop 'Framing' Government Critics". Human Rights Watch. 21 July 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
  20. ^ "فارسی – ايران – احمدی نژاد تغییر وزیر اطلاعات را به ناآرامی ها ارتباط داد". BBC. 20 August 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  21. ^ Staff writer(s) (27 July 2009). "Crisis as opportunity for the IRGC". Stratfor. Archived from the original on 5 August 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
  22. ^ Staff author(s) (22 June 2016). "حقوق ماهانه 40 میلیونی برای 50 نفر از مدیران یک وزارت خانه" [The monthly salary is 40 million for 50 members of Ministry]. Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting News (in Persian). Retrieved 22 June 2016. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  23. ^ Iran names hardline cleric as top judge amid calls for probe aljazeera.com, Retrieved 28 November 2021
edit
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Intelligence
2005–2009
Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by Prosecutor-General of Iran
2009–2014
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Ebrahim Raisi
Chief Justice of Iran
2021–present
Succeeded by
Incumbent