Ministry of Interior: 15 Million Judicial Cases Opened Last Year

Morteza Mirbagheri, Deputy Minister of Interior of Iran, stated that in the year 1393 (2014), 15 million judicial cases were opened in the country, and that actions should have been taken years ago for "intelligent solutions to problems and difficulties." On February 10, Mr. Mirbagheri, during a conference titled "Opportunities After the JCPOA," mentioned that a "social surgery" must occur in Iranian society. According to IRNA news agency, this senior government official indicated that the opening of 15 million judicial cases in one year is "a sign that society cannot resolve its issues through interaction and dialogue, and the matters are taken to the courts." The statistics provided by this government official regarding judicial cases exceed those published by Iran's judiciary; last spring, the Deputy of the Judiciary had stated that nearly 11 million judicial cases were formed in the previous year. A year prior, the Ministry of Justice under Hassan Rouhani's government announced that the most common judicial crimes in Iran were related to "drugs and theft." The issue of addiction was also raised by the Deputy Minister of Interior. He stated that over the past five years, the number of addicts in Iran has increased from 1.35 million to 2.5 million, with some areas reaching "critical levels." In another part of his speech at the "Opportunities After the JCPOA" conference, Mr. Mirbagheri referred to the exponential increase in divorce rates, the rising unemployment trend, and the presence of 11 million marginalized individuals in Iran. The Deputy Minister of Interior mentioned that unemployment rates in 20 cities in Iran range from 40% to 70%, and by the year 1405 (2026), when the population reaches 95 million, up to 17 million people will be unemployed. According to the Minister of Interior, nearly 15% of the total population of Iran "lives in areas lacking basic living conditions, and no one has taken notice of these areas." Morteza Mirbagheri stated that one of the reasons leading to these issues is the planning system in Iran. He also noted that out of 31 provinces and 1200 cities in the country, facilities are concentrated in only six provinces and 200 cities. Iranian officials have referred to various changes in the social structure of Iran in recent years; the increase in divorce rates, unemployment, especially among women, the rise in "inactive" individuals, and the multiple increase in marginalization in the country are among these issues. The Deputy Minister of Interior criticized the actions of "some governments," stating that they have only been "spectators." He did not name the governments he was referring to.