Arrest of Hundreds of 'Fraudsters and Influence Peddlers' in the Judiciary

The head of the Tehran judiciary has reported the identification and arrest of over 700 'fraudsters and influence peddlers' within the country's judicial system, accusing them of causing 'disrepute' to the judiciary. Gholam Hossein Esmaili, the head of the judiciary, announced on Friday, September 12, to the Mizan news agency that some of these arrested individuals are currently imprisoned. According to Mr. Esmaili, several others are 'released on bail while judicial proceedings take place, and some have received definitive sentences.' He referred to these individuals as factors that have led to 'a part of the public's and officials' perception of the judiciary's performance not aligning with reality.' Esmaili deemed their actions as causing 'disrepute' to the judiciary and stated that these individuals 'have no connection to the judiciary.' This judicial official also mentioned the identification and arrest of those who 'acted in the name of judges.' Last February, Mr. Esmaili reported the identification and arrest of 500 'fixers' in Tehran, stating that these individuals 'claimed to have connections with judicial authorities.' Mr. Esmaili said: 'These individuals were those who claimed influence and established connections with case parties outside.' According to statements from some members of parliament and officials of the Islamic Republic, the judiciary has somewhat experienced 'systematic corruption' in recent years. Meanwhile, the head of the Tehran judiciary claims that 'fixers' and individuals with no connection to the judiciary are responsible for this 'disrepute' and negative perceptions against the judiciary. Nevertheless, a survey by the 'iPOS' institute published in February 2016 indicated that the Iranian people believe 'corruption' has 'spread' in the country, with banks, courts, and municipalities being the 'most corrupt' institutions in the Islamic Republic. According to this survey, after banks, courts, and the judiciary, municipalities are considered by 63% of participants to be among the 'most corrupt' institutions in Iran. Corruption statistics in Iran and the extent of contamination of governmental institutions are never published, and the results of many investigations into these institutions by the parliament are not made public. The General Inspection Organization is one of the most important oversight bodies in Iran that has not yet published its reports and documents regarding the level of corruption in Iran, especially in official institutions.