Ejei: Anger Over Saudi Actions May Reduce Sentences for Attack on Embassy

The spokesperson for Iran's judiciary announced that attackers of the Saudi embassy may receive reduced sentences due to the "anger" stemming from the actions of the Saudi government and the Mina incident. According to IRNA news agency, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei stated during a press conference on Sunday, August 3, referencing incidents such as the Mina tragedy and Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal's speech at a Mojahedin-e Khalq meeting in Paris, that "today Saudi Arabia is acting with utmost hostility towards Iran." He added, "Given the crimes of Saudi Arabia and the tragedy that occurred in Mina, people became emotional, but this does not mean that if individuals act independently, the authorities should not react." The judiciary spokesperson indicated that some of the attackers acted out of anger towards Saudi Arabia and the Mina tragedy, which could lead to reduced sentences. According to Ejei, Article 38 of the Islamic Penal Code specifies the "grounds" for reducing sentences, and based on Article 37, the judge decides on sentence reductions. During the trial of 21 defendants in the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran on Tuesday, July 28, some defendants claimed they were informed about the gathering in front of the Saudi embassy through Telegram channels "affiliated" with the Revolutionary Guards. In this session, several defendants identified themselves as "Hezbollah" forces and "defenders of the shrine," while others stated they had confronted protesters during the 1999 Tehran University incident and the 2009 presidential election protests. The attack on Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad last January led to the severance of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and several of its allies with Iran. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and government members strongly condemned the attack on the Saudi embassy. However, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, criticized the labeling of "Hezbollah" individuals as extremists after the attack, stating, "Just because an incident like the Saudi embassy and the British embassy arises, which is very bad and harmful to the country and Islam, should not be used as an excuse to attack faithful youth." The judiciary spokesperson further stated that the trial of those defendants whose cases were handled in Tehran's judiciary has concluded, but the "end of proceedings" has not yet been declared. According to Ejei, after reviewing the cases of 44 defendants in the attack on the Saudi embassy, the judiciary sent the cases of 21 defendants to Tehran's court and the rest to the Special Court for Clergy. In the court session for the defendants of the Saudi embassy attack, the prosecutor described the charges against the 21 defendants as "participation in the intentional destruction of Saudi embassy property" or "disturbing public order through riots and illegal gatherings," or both charges. Under Iranian law, the punishment for "disturbing public order" ranges from three months to one year in prison and up to 74 lashes. For the destruction of public property and the destruction of individuals' property, Iranian laws also provide for prison sentences and fines.