Request from Several Friday Prayer Leaders for Continued Execution of 'Economic Disruptors'

While some legal experts have deemed the rulings of special courts for 'economic disruptors' as 'illegal', a number of Friday prayer leaders expressed gratitude to the judiciary for executing two individuals under these court rulings and called for the continuation of this 'path'. According to IRNA news agency, Mohammad Imami Kashani, the Friday prayer leader of Tehran, considered 'disruption of the economic system' as one of the instances of 'moharebeh' (waging war against God). Reza Noori, the temporary Friday prayer leader of Bojnurd, also thanked the judiciary for the execution of two 'economic disruptors' and urged the judiciary to 'continue this path'. Additionally, Mohammad Shahcheraghi, the Friday prayer leader of Semnan, called on the judiciary to 'decisively confront other economic disruptors'. Ali Shahcheraghi, the Friday prayer leader of Shahr-e Rey, stated: 'Those who seek to create corruption and psychological warfare in society should know that they will soon face the sharp sword of justice of the Islamic system.' Several other Friday prayer leaders, including Rasoul Falahati, the Friday prayer leader of Rasht, and Mohammad Mokhtari, the Friday prayer leader of Birjand, also thanked the judiciary for this action. Vahid Malakoutian and his colleague Mohammad Esmail Qasemi were executed on Wednesday, and Amnesty International described this action as 'abhorrent' and a 'violation of international rights'. According to Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the judiciary spokesperson, it took only 43 days from the formation of the case for these two individuals to the confirmation of their sentence in the Supreme Court. However, Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, stated in an interview with the Human Rights Campaign website that the speed of confirming the death sentences from special courts was 'illegal' and that these actions were aimed at 'calming dissatisfied people'. Following the crisis in Iran's currency market, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, agreed to the judiciary chief's proposal to establish special courts with three revolutionary court judges to handle the cases of 'economic disruptors'. According to his directive, the rulings issued by these courts, except for death sentences, are 'final and enforceable'. Daryoush Ebrahimi Bilandi, Younes Bahad-dini, and Hamid Bagheri have also been sentenced to death in these courts. Furthermore, many analysts have stated that 'security measures', although they may prevent the rise in currency prices in the short term, will have no long-term effect, just as currency prices continued to rise despite 'security measures in the previous government'. Nevertheless, Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday prayer leader of Mashhad, said that with the execution of these two individuals, 'people have become hopeful and found peace'. Mr. Alamolhoda called on the judiciary to 'at least prosecute the managers who facilitated this disruption and corruption for these disruptors'. The judiciary spokesperson reported on Sunday, November 20, that an indictment had been issued for Ahmad Iraqchi, the former currency deputy of the Central Bank, a director general of this bank, and six others for 'distributing currency outside regulations' in the market, and the former head of this bank remains banned from leaving the country.