Mortazavi Defends His Dark Record; 'I Don't Necessarily Need a Law License'

Saeed Mortazavi, the former criminal prosecutor of Tehran and one of the notorious figures in the Islamic Republic's judiciary, published a letter in response to widespread protests from lawyers, human rights activists, and public opinion regarding the issuance of his law license by the Yazd Bar Association. According to the 'Vokala Press' website, Mortazavi referred to his role in suppressing the protests of 2009 in this letter sent to the president of the Yazd Bar Association, claiming it was his 'religious and legal duty.' The former Tehran prosecutor described his actions during his tenure as 'correct and legal' and claimed he had 'no role' in the murder of Zahra Kazemi and the events at Kahrizak prison. He also mentioned his background as a 'judge and exemplary national manager' and considered himself 'deserving of a law license' which he stated 'does not necessarily require a law license.' Previously, the Yazd Bar Association issued a law license for Saeed Mortazavi, which sparked widespread reactions. In his letter, Mortazavi labeled his critics and opponents as 'malicious individuals,' 'ignorant,' and 'liars,' and dismissed the protests against his law license as 'a commotion from some hostile media abroad.' This self-proclaimed 'lawyer' accused the protesting lawyers of lying and lamented that 'these colleagues should dedicate their efforts and valuable time to condemning the recent crimes of the murderous and occupying regime and the human rights violator Israel.' Mortazavi regarded his name being on the list of human rights violators in Iran as one of his honors, emphasizing that his name is at the top of this list according to the 'global arrogance and the official announcement of the White House.' He complained to the president of the Yazd Bar Association about 'the repetition of such phrases by some of your ignorant colleagues' and defended his record in cases such as the murder of Zahra Kazemi, the killing of detained protesters at Kahrizak, the mass closure of newspapers, and his management of social security. Following the news of Mortazavi's law license issuance, Mohammad Hossein Jafari, the president of the Yazd Bar Association, announced that this license was issued after obtaining legal inquiries and following the necessary procedures. However, this action faced widespread protests. A number of lawyers from Fars and Tabriz provinces filed a complaint with the Supreme Disciplinary Court of Judges, requesting the revocation of this license. Additionally, a campaign with over 9,000 signatures from lawyers deemed the issuance of a law license to Mortazavi as contrary to the values and standards of the legal profession and called for its annulment. During his tenure as Tehran prosecutor, Mortazavi played a significant role in suppressing freedom of expression and violating human rights. His actions included the seizure and closure of over 120 publications and media outlets in the early 2000s, known as the 'mass closure of newspapers.' Mortazavi, who also served as the head of the Social Security Organization under Ahmadinejad's government, had previously been convicted in a corruption case involving the Social Security Organization and served time in prison. He was one of the main suspects in the death of Zahra Kazemi, an Iranian-Canadian journalist in prison, as well as in the case of the killing of several protesters during the 2009 protests at Kahrizak detention center, always enjoying the support of senior government officials. Torture, manipulation of judicial files, and fabricating cases against civil, political activists, and journalists are among the recorded points in the controversial record of this 'notorious judge' during his time in the judiciary. Mortazavi is one of the human rights violators in the Islamic Republic in recent decades who has always enjoyed judicial immunity, and in the case where he faced 'conviction,' the subject of the case was related to his tenure as the head of the Social Security Organization, not to the many judicial cases for which he was responsible. Various reports regarding his misconduct were even filed in the Disciplinary Prosecutor's Office for Judges but were never pursued seriously. Nevertheless, even in the same Social Security case where he faced conviction, the Supreme Court ultimately 'acquitted' him of the charges, once again proving that the Iranian judiciary is incapable of achieving 'justice.' Saeed Mortazavi served as Tehran prosecutor from 2003 to 2009 and as deputy prosecutor general from 2009 to 2010. He later headed the Anti-Narcotics Headquarters for a while and from 2011 to 2013, he was the head of the Social Security Organization, where his widespread misconduct led to his conviction, although he was 'freed' from that case a few years later. In May of this year, it was reported that Mostafa Torkhamdani, a lawyer, was imprisoned for 91 days due to pursuing the financial case against Saeed Mortazavi, known as 'Judge Mortazavi,' the then CEO of the Social Security Organization under Ahmadinejad's government. Payman Haj Mahmoud Attar, who is representing his colleague, told Ham Mihan newspaper on Monday morning, May 17, that Mortazavi, after complaints from some members of parliament and several insurers of the Social Security Organization with the representation of Mostafa Torkhamdani, received a 'definitive criminal conviction' due to financial issues of this organization but was acquitted of all financial charges in 2022. During Mortazavi's tenure as prosecutor, at least three detainees from the protests in July 2009 were killed at Kahrizak detention center, and he was one of the main suspects in the case formed regarding this matter. During the 2009 protests, many others were also tortured. Zahra Kazemi, an Iranian-Canadian journalist, was killed in Evin prison years ago while visiting her family in Tehran, and her death was directly attributed to Mortazavi's involvement. During the investigation of Mortazavi's financial allegations in the Social Security Organization, he was also convicted in a case that led to his imprisonment for a time, but he was released at the first opportunity under the clemency of Ali Khamenei. This 'notorious judge' of the Islamic Republic, whose name is associated with hundreds of political and civil cases as a human rights violator, has received a 'law license' from the Yazd Bar Association to now play the role of 'defense lawyer' in the judiciary of the Islamic Republic.