Judiciary Reports Indictment for Suspects in the Murder Case of Mehrjouei and Mohammadi Far

The head of the judiciary in Alborz province has announced the issuance of an indictment for the suspects in the case of the murder of Dariush Mehrjouei and Roghieh (Vahideh) Mohammadi Far in the city of Fardis in less than two months. The media center of the judiciary of the Islamic Republic reported today, quoting Hossein Fazeli Harikandi, that the indictment for four suspects has been issued and referred to the Criminal Court 1 of Alborz province for processing. He noted that the 'manner of the murder' and the 'quality of entry of the suspect or suspects' indicated a complete familiarity with the neighborhood and the residence of the victims, emphasizing that the suspects were 'identified and arrested' in 'less than five days' after the murder. The news of the murder of Dariush Mehrjouei, whom the directors' guild and the association of producers and directors referred to as the 'light of Iranian cinema,' became a headline in the media in the early hours of Sunday, October 15, 2023. Although a day later, on October 16, the Tehran prosecutor summoned the managers of the newspapers Etemad (Tehran print) and Faraz (electronic) for what was termed 'warning and guidance' regarding published materials related to the murder of Mehrjouei and his wife, Mohammadi Far, and the Minister of Interior of the Islamic Republic stated that action would be taken against 'anyone who attempts to create insecurity in society.' In contrast, the newspaper Iran, the official media of the Islamic Republic, claimed on the same day that the murder of Dariush Mehrjouei and his wife bore 'no resemblance' to the government-sanctioned killings of writers and artists in the 1990s known as 'serial murders.' Furthermore, the head of the judiciary in Alborz province announced today, December 9, that with the cooperation of the Bar Association, a 'court-appointed lawyer' has been introduced for each of the suspects separately, adding that a 'personality file' has also been established for all suspects with the presence of a 'social worker and psychologist.' The Iranian Writers' Association, on October 16, referred to the 'horrific murder' of Dariush Mehrjouei, a well-known filmmaker, and his wife, screenwriter Vahideh Mohammadi Far, stating that 'the government is evading accountability for the ambiguities and explanations of what has happened to the two.' In a statement, this professional organization also mentioned: 'This horrific crime, many aspects of which remain shrouded in ambiguity, has provoked widespread reactions and plunged society into shock and anger.' Nevertheless, the head of the judiciary in Alborz claimed that the suspects had 'two previous entries' into Mehrjouei's villa, the first being on 'October 8,' when they fled the scene due to 'the building doors being closed and Mrs. Mehrjouei being aware of their presence.' He added that about a week later, on 'October 15,' they re-entered the villa grounds, and due to their 'adequate knowledge of the neighborhood and the villa environment,' they easily entered the main building through another door and from the kitchen with a knife, where 'the late Mohammadi Far took refuge in her daughter's bedroom upon seeing them,' and 'the late Mehrjouei also engaged with two of them, during which he was killed by multiple knife stabs.' This official further noted that according to what he termed 'the statements of the suspects and the reconstruction of the scene and examination of documents and evidence,' 'two other suspects entered the bedroom after pursuing Mrs. Mohammadi Far and demanded her jewelry, which she handed over, including bracelets and bangles.' Based on the claims of this judicial official, during this interval, with the entry of another suspect into the room, the same person who stabbed Dariush Mehrjouei to death, 'after provoking and threatening them with murder,' one of them 'inflicted injuries on Mrs. Mohammadi Far, and subsequently, the same instigator, who played the role of designer and leader of the suspects, delivered the final blow with a knife to Mrs. Mohammadi Far.' The funeral ceremony for Dariush Mehrjouei and Vahideh Mohammadi Far was held on October 17 in the courtyard of Rudaki Hall in Tehran, attended by a number of artists, cultural figures, and admirers, amidst anti-government slogans from the participants. At this ceremony, Mona Mehrjouei, the daughter of Dariush Mehrjouei and Vahideh Mohammadi Far, who attended without the 'mandatory hijab' required by the Islamic Republic, stated: 'As my father said, the killers are truly among us.' A commemoration of the late Iranian director featured the documentary 'Dariush Mehrjouei - Making the Cow Film' by Bahman Maqsoudlou.