Jan. 25 – Two of Iran’s judges were shot and killed in Tehran on January 19, according to an announcement by Iran’s judiciary.
The attacker, who shot himself following the killings, also died.
While the motive remains unclear, the two judges were believed to be responsible for several judgments relating to national security charges, which are often used to jail and execute prisoners of conscience and human rights activists.
A Swiss national who died while in prison in Iran was accused of taking photos of military sites in the country, according to a spokesperson for Iran’s judiciary.
The 64-year-old man reportedly hanged himself with a piece of cloth in his cell. However some commentators have suggested the man died under mysterious circumstances.
Iran’s regime has also been repeatedly criticized by human rights bodies for its use of physical and psychological torture to extract confessions.
And NGO Article 18 said Christians in Iran were facing longer prison terms and were also being used in hostage diplomacy, in its latest report on the plight of Christians in the country.
Iran’s theocracy considers Christians who have converted from Islam to be apostates, which is a criminal offense under Iran’s laws.
The report noted a sharp rise in the number of Christians sentenced for crimes from 22 Christians in 2023 to 96 in 2024, all for practicing their faith.
