Sentences Issued for 20 Attackers of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran

Nearly a year after the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran, the head of the Government Employees Judicial Complex announced on Tuesday the issuance of sentences for 20 defendants in the case of the attack on this embassy and referred to the upcoming notification of these sentences. Hamidreza Hosseini, the head of this complex, announced on Tuesday, November 2, in an interview with 'Mizan', the official news agency of the judiciary, the news of the issuance of sentences for 20 attackers of the Saudi embassy. Mr. Hosseini did not refer to the details of the issued sentences but stated that the sentences of these individuals will be notified soon. The 'Mizan' news agency also reported that part of the case of these attackers is also being reviewed in the Special Clerical Court. Following the attack by a group of Hezbollah forces on the Saudi embassy in Tehran and the consulate of this country in the city of Mashhad in January 2016, which led to the severance of political relations between the two countries, judicial officials announced the issuance of indictments for 48 people in this regard. Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje'i, the spokesman for the judiciary, announced on April 11 of this year that '121 people have been summoned in this case and 26 others have been summoned.' The trial of a group of these attackers was held on July 19 and 20 of this year in Branch 1060 of the Government Employees Judicial Complex, and their sentences have also been issued. In these sessions, some of the defendants introduced themselves as 'Hezbollah forces', while others stated that they had confronted protesters during the 2009 presidential election protests. No news or report has been published regarding the details of this sentence so far, but Mohseni Eje'i stated on July 25 of this year that anger over Saudi actions could lead to a reduction in the sentences of the attackers. This judicial official added that Article 38 of the Islamic Penal Code specifies the 'grounds' for reducing the sentences of convicts, and according to Article 37 of this law, the judge decides on the reduction of the sentence. 'Participation in the intentional destruction of Saudi embassy property' or 'disruption of public order through illegal gatherings and riots' are among the charges announced against the attackers. In Iranian law, the punishment for the charge of 'disruption of public order' ranges from three months to one year in prison and up to 74 lashes. For the destruction of public property and the destruction of individuals' property, prison sentences and fines are also stipulated in Iranian law.