Ejei Responds to Rouhani's Remarks on Executions Over the Past 38 Years

Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the first deputy and spokesperson of the judiciary, reacted on Sunday, May 14, to the remarks of Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, regarding the issuance of death sentences and imprisonment over the past 38 years. This judicial official also noted: "We have complete regret for some who today have forgotten their past even to gather votes. They have forgotten that once they said some individuals should be punished in public." It seems Mr. Ejei's reference is to Mr. Rouhani's remarks in 1979 regarding the "Nojeh coup," which has recently been republished by news agencies including Fars. According to the published material, Hassan Rouhani, who was a member of parliament at that time, called for the execution of "plotters" in public during his speech. On May 7, Rouhani stated during a speech in Hamedan that on election day, "the people of Iran will announce that they do not accept those who have only known executions and imprisonment over the past 38 years." This statement may refer to Ebrahim Raisi, the conservative presidential candidate. Mr. Raisi has held judicial positions since the early years of the 1979 revolution, including Attorney General and First Deputy of the Judiciary. He, along with several others including Mostafa Pourmohammadi, the Minister of Justice in Rouhani's government, was severely criticized by Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, the then Deputy Leader of the Islamic Republic, in 1988 for issuing death sentences for political prisoners. The Iranian President's criticism came at a time when no news, report, or quote has been published regarding his opposition to executions in the years following the victory of the February 1979 revolution. According to Fars news agency, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the first deputy and spokesperson of the judiciary, stated on Sunday without directly referencing Hassan Rouhani's remarks: "The pride of the judiciary is the 38-year struggle against corrupt individuals and violators." This judicial official also defended the issuance of death sentences against those labeled as "corrupt and terrorists," adding: "The judiciary and law enforcement have certainly fought against drug mafia gangs over these 38 years and will continue this approach to confront corrupt individuals, and they take pride in this matter." Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei stated: "If there are individuals today who want to disrupt the security of the people, we will confront them as we have done with all these individuals over the years and will continue to do so." The Islamic Republic of Iran has always been severely criticized by human rights organizations and UN special rapporteurs for issuing death sentences. Nevertheless, judicial officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran have defended the issuance of these sentences. "A necessary and decisive response will be given to some presidential candidates," according to Fars. The first deputy and spokesperson of the judiciary criticized some presidential candidates for their comments regarding the "failure of the judiciary to confront the corruption of the previous government" and "discriminatory behavior in dealing with the case of the Minister of Education," stating: "Unfortunately, in some debates and recent discussions, statements were made that will receive a necessary and decisive response in due time." He announced that "to prevent the election atmosphere from becoming tense, we have remained silent and are not speaking," adding: "Certainly, in due time, we will provide a necessary and decisive response to these remarks." This judicial official further criticized presidential candidates for their statements, which he claimed were "against the values of the system and the history of the system" and "contrary to Islam and Islamic values." Six presidential candidates have made numerous economic accusations against each other in three televised debates and separate speeches, which have received widespread media coverage. Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei stated: "Today, unfortunately, individuals and candidates even make statements that they previously contradicted, and it is strange that to attract a few votes, if they can attract them, they have brought up such statements." In another part of his remarks, referring to the prison sentence issued against the former first vice president of Iran, Mohammad Reza Rahimi, he added: "Even now, we are confronting corrupt individuals, including those affiliated with the presidency, regardless of whether their corruption is financial or security-related, we confront them with full power." The first deputy and spokesperson of the judiciary said: "Some have tried to say that the judiciary has become a victim of certain propaganda, and they even said that if some are summoned, they will start a war, while we have summoned those very individuals and are investigating their charges." Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei did not provide further explanation on this matter. Regarding the case of suspected smuggled goods involving the Minister of Education, he stated: "In this case, we have not yet raised any of the charges against the Minister, and all we have mentioned pertains to the establishment of the company, its articles of association, board members, and its activities, which are all recorded in the official newspaper." The discovery of a clothing shipment in the house of the Minister of Education's daughter has recently turned into a conflict between the government and the judiciary. Previously, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei had detailed the formation of a new case regarding the Minister's membership on the board of a private company. Following this, Hassan Rouhani, in a speech in Hamedan, accused the spokesperson of one of the institutions of "blackening the government" and stated that the house of justice has "turned into a house of accusation and lies." "Astronomical salaries have increased sharply in this government," Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei reacted to the remarks of one of the presidential candidates who claimed that banking arrears in previous governments were more than in Hassan Rouhani's government, saying: "I wish the presidential candidates would be fair and if they want to point out the shortcomings of previous governments, at least mention the shortcomings of their own government as well." His reference was to the remarks of Eshaq Jahangiri, who in the third televised debate among the six presidential candidates stated: "In the past, the bank was used like the government's treasury, and government resources were trapped; one of the events that occurred was the issue of banking arrears, where some individuals took a collection of resources and did not return them." He added: "Some of these individuals were economic people who should be given a chance, but others were opportunists who should be pursued by the Central Bank." According to Fars, the first deputy and spokesperson of the judiciary stated: "Based on our information, arrears existed in both that government and this government, and in fact, they increased in the eleventh government." Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei also referred to the issue of unusual salaries, stating: "Astronomical salaries have certainly increased uncontrollably in the eleventh government because based on our investigations, we have not had average salaries above 100 million tomans in previous governments, but today in the eleventh government, we even have average salaries of 100 and 200 million tomans." This comes while Eshaq Jahangiri stated in the last televised debate: "Astronomical salaries were raised in cyberspace, and the government proudly stood against it, and it was decided that the Court of Audit would investigate; several managers were dismissed, and laws and regulations were amended. The Speaker of the Parliament also announced that all amounts have been returned." The first deputy of the judiciary announced that during Hassan Rouhani's government, salaries have had a "directed increase," stating: "In this government, we can confidently say that three things have increased uncontrollably: first, the government's debt to banks, second, the government's debt to the Central Bank, and third, liquidity." These accusations have been made at a time when previously, Hassan Rouhani and his government officials have denied similar accusations and attributed the existing problems to the legacy of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government.