Preliminary Verdict Issued for the Murder of Mehrjouyi; Death Sentence for Main Accused and 36 Years Imprisonment for Others

The Judiciary News Agency reported the issuance of a preliminary verdict for the accused in the murder case of Dariush Mehrjouyi and Vahideh Mohammadi Far, stating that the main accused has been sentenced to "qisas nafs" (retribution in kind) and the second and third accused to 36 years in prison. Hossein Fazeli Harikandi, the Chief Justice of Alborz Province, stated that the accused confessed to the committed crimes and the manner of the murders. The issuance of the preliminary ruling comes after Manouchehr Manoochehri, the lawyer for the heirs of Mehrjouyi and Mohammadi Far, emphasized on February 6 that there are "formal and substantive deficiencies" in the case, expressing skepticism about the court's ruling. Manoochehri stated in an interview with the newspaper "Etemad" that despite his numerous requests, "the items that should normally be available to the plaintiffs and their lawyers during the proceedings" have not been provided to him, and the process has "multiple flaws." The court session for the murder case of renowned filmmaker Dariush Mehrjouyi and his wife Vahideh Mohammadi Far lasted 11 hours on January 17 at the first branch of the Criminal Court of Alborz Province. The Iranian Judiciary announced that two of the accused do not have identification documents and medical tests have shown that they have not yet reached legal age. According to state media, in the final court session, one of the accused named Iskandar claimed, "Our goal was not to kill anyone; we only intended to rob Mehrjouyi's house," while another accused named Mirois stated that their intention was "murder." This comes after the main accused in the murder case of Mehrjouyi and Mohammadi Far had stated on January 17 that he did not commit the murder and had "confessed under duress." The news of Dariush Mehrjouyi's murder became a headline in the media in the early hours of Sunday, October 15, 2023, sparking widespread reactions. In recent months, lawyers associated with the case had expressed concerns about the investigation process and the formation of the case, requesting judicial officials to address the mentioned deficiencies. Nevertheless, judicial officials have defended the case's follow-up process and left the lawyers' requests unanswered. The emphasis of the lawyer for the heirs of Mehrjouyi and Mohammadi Far on the deficiencies in the case: I am not optimistic about the court's ruling. The trial of the accused in the murder case of Mehrjouyi and Mohammadi Far ended with contradictory statements from the accused. The accused in the murder of Mehrjouyi and Mohammadi Far: I confessed under duress. The trial of the accused in the murder case of Mehrjouyi and Mohammadi Far began without the presence of the heirs. The lawyer of Mehrjouyi's daughter expressed surprise at the issuance of the indictment: we have objected to the "forensic opinion." The Judiciary announced the issuance of an "indictment" for the accused in the murder case of Mehrjouyi and Mohammadi Far.