Meet Iran's US-sanctioned new judiciary chief
Fears are growing among rights activists that the appointment of Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei may usher in a new reign of terror for Iran's already stifled civil society.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei named Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei the country's new judiciary chief July 1. Mohseni Ejei will succeed Ebrahim Raisi, who is busy preparing to take office as Iran's president in a few weeks following his landslide victory in a low-turnout election June 18.
In his letter of credentials to the new chief justice, Khamenei advised his pick to tackle corruption, and ensure the rule of law and justice, after describing the cleric as a man with "in-depth understanding and a brilliant record."
Under Article 157 of Iran's theocratic constitution, the unelected supreme leader directly appoints the head of the judiciary, one of the three branches of power along with the executive and the parliament. As the same laws require the judiciary head to be a cleric, the post has in the past three decades been held by relentless hard-liners close to Khamenei.
Iran's judiciary has long been accused of rights violations and has represented to many Iranians an institution defined by lack of transparency and plagued by inner corruption. Mahmoud Shahroudi famously declared upon his appointment as chief justice in 1999 that he had inherited an institution that was in ruins.
