Wikipedia

Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i

Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i (Persian: غلام حسین محسنی اژه‌ای, romanized: Ğolām-Hoseyn Mohseni Eže'i, Persian pronunciation: [ɢolɒːmhoˈsejn mohseˈniː eʒeˈjiː] ⓘ; born 29 September 1956) is an Iranian politician and Islamic jurist who has served as the 8th Chief Justice of Iran since 2021.[6] He also served as a member of the Interim Leadership Council in March 2026 following the assassination of Ali Khamenei .

Hujjat al-Islam[1][2]
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i
غلام حسین محسنی اژه‌ای
Mohseni-Eje'i in 2023
8th Chief Justice of Iran
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 July 2021
Appointed byAli Khamenei
Preceded byEbrahim Raisi
Member of the Interim Leadership Council
In office
1 March 2026 – 8 March 2026
Preceded byAli Khamenei (as Supreme Leader)
Succeeded byMojtaba Khamenei (as Supreme Leader)
First Deputy to the Chief Justice of Iran
In office
23 August 2014 – 1 July 2021
Appointed bySadeq Larijani
Preceded byEbrahim Raisi
Succeeded byMohammad Mosaddegh Kahnamouei
Spokesman of Judicial system of the Islamic Republic of Iran
In office
16 September 2010[3] – 8 April 2019
Appointed bySadeq Larijani
Preceded byAlireza Jamshidi
Succeeded byGholam-Hossein Esmaeili
Prosecutor-General of Iran
In office
24 August 2009 – 23 August 2014
Appointed bySadeq Larijani
Preceded byGhorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi
Succeeded byEbrahim Raisi
6th Minister of Intelligence
In office
24 August 2005 – 23 July 2009
PresidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad
Preceded byAli Younesi
Succeeded byMahmoud Ahmadinejad (Acting)[4]
Personal details
Born (1956-09-29) 29 September 1956 (age 69)
Ezhiyeh, Isfahan province, Iran
Haghani Seminary
Awards
Women's Link Worldwide Bludgeon Award, as “the most misogynist judge in the world" (2011)[5]

Following the February 2026 assassination of Ali Khamenei, Mohseni-Eje'i served on the Interim Leadership Council alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian and cleric Alireza Arafi. The council's first and only composition acted as Supreme Leader of Iran from 1 to 8 March 2026.[7]

He previously was the Iranian minister of intelligence from 2005 until July 2009, when he was abruptly dismissed. He was sanctioned by the U.S. State Department and the European Union for his role in repressing the 2009 post-election protests. The E.U. accused Mohseni-Eje'i of overseeing "the detention and torture of, and the extraction of false confessions under pressure from, hundreds of activists, journalists, dissidents and reformist politicians".[6][8] In 2011, Women's Link Worldwide awarded him the International Bludgeon Award. It described him as “the most misogynist judge in the world.”[5] He also held a number of other governmental posts since 1984.

Early life and education

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Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i (Persian pronunciationⓘ) was born in Ezhiyeh, Isfahan province, Imperial State of Iran, in 1956.[9] He is a graduate of the Haqqani School in Qom where he studied theology, and one of his teachers was the ultra-conservative Mesbah Yazdi.[10][11][12] He also received a master's degree in international law from the Haqqani School.[13]

Career

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Early years

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From 1984 to 1985, Mohseni-Eje'i served as head of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence's Select Committee. From 1986 to 1988, he was the Representative of the Iranian Head of Judiciary to the Ministry of Intelligence. From 1989 to 1990, he served as head of the Prosecutor's Office for economic affairs. From 1991 to 1994, he held the post of Representative of the Head of Judiciary to the Ministry of Intelligence.[14]

Special Clerical Court (1995–2004)

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From 1995 to 1997, Mohseni-Eje'i was the Prosecutor of the Special Clerical Court of Tehran.[14]

Mohseni-Eje'i was named by journalist Akbar Ganji as having personally ordered the killing of activist pro-democracy journalist Pirouz Davani. Davani was allegedly abducted by plainclothes officers from Iran's Ministry of Intelligence in August 1998, one of the 80+ Iranian intellectuals murdered in the 1988–98 Chain murders of Iran.[15]

In November 1998 he succeeded Mohammad Reyshahri as Attorney General of the Special Clerical Court, pursuant to a ruling of Ali Khamenei.⁣[16] He was also the Special Prosecutor for the Clergy for two years.

One notable incident during his tenure at Special Clerical Court was when Mohseni-Eje'i attacked journalist Isa Saharkhiz, and bit his ear and shoulder, in May 2004 at a meeting of the Press Supervisor Board. Saharkhiz filed a complaint with the judicial authorities.[17][18][19]

Minister of Intelligence (2005–2009)

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Mohseni-Eje'i was appointed Iranian Minister of Intelligence on 24 August 2005, after securing 217 votes in his favor at the Majlis of Iran.[14]

During the 2009 Iranian presidential election protests, intelligence agents under his command detained, abused, blackmailed, tortured, and coerced false confessions from hundreds of activists, journalists, dissidents, academics, and reformist politicians, according to the European Union.[6][8]

He was in office until 26 July 2009, when he was abruptly dismissed.[11] No reason was given for his dismissal.[20] It was thought by some to be connected to his opposition to the appointment of Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei as first vice-president.[11] President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said his removal had been necessary, because the ministry needed huge changes.[21]

Prosecutor general (2009–2014)

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Shortly after he was dismissed as Iranian Minister of Intelligence, on 24 August 2009 he was appointed Prosecutor-General of Iran by the Head of Judiciary, Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, replacing Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi.[22][23]

As a spokesman for the judiciary from 2010 to 2019, he was also a spokesman to the media and journalists.[23]

In 2011, Women's Link Worldwide awarded him the International Bludgeon Award. It described him as “the most misogynist judge in the world.”[5]

First Deputy Chief Justice (2014– 2021)

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Mohseni-Eje'i served as First Deputy Chief Justice from 2014 to 2021.[6] In 2016, he called the U.S. Iran's "No. 1 enemy ... the Great Satan."[24]

Interim Leadership Council (March 2026)

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Following the February 2026 killing of Ali Khamenei, on 1 March 2026, Mohseni-Eje'i was appointed a member of the Interim Leadership Council. The Council took over Khamenei's responsibilities, in addition to Khamenei's position in the Assembly of Experts, and appointed the successor to Khamenei.[25][26] Mohseni-Eje'i served on the Council alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian and cleric Alireza Arafi. The Council's first and only composition acted as Supreme Leader of Iran from 1 to 8 March 2026, when Ali Khamenei's son Mojtaba Khamenei was elected the new Supreme Leader.[7]

Chief Justice of Iran (2021–present)

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Mohseni-Eje'i has served as the 8th Chief Justice of Iran since 2021.[27]

In May 2023 he called on Iran's security and intelligence agencies to arrest women who flout Iran's mandatory hijab rules, and to hand them over to the Iranian judicial authorities for “severe punishment.”[28]

As Chief Justice, Mohseni-Eje'i played a central role in suppressing the 2025–2026 protests in Iran. He directed prosecutors to show "no leniency" toward demonstrators, and encouraged swift executions of dozens of prisoners, widespread use of capital punishment, and the denial of due process, legal counsel, and fair trials for many, particularly young adults.[27][6] Many death sentences were handed down within days of arrest, on charges like "moharebeh" (waging war against God) and "corruption on earth." Many of those executed had given confessions extracted under duress.[27][29]

ISNA (the Iranian Students' News Agency) reported that in April 2026, during a ceasefire in the 2026 Iran War, Mohseni-Eje'i asserted that the U.S. had been "defeated in the 40-day battlefield".[30]

Activities and views

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Mohseni-Eje’i is a hardline conservative.[6] According to Stratfor, Mohseni-Eje'i is an Iranian Principlist, who was affiliated with hardline cleric Mohammad Yazdi.[31]

On 15 July 2009, Mohseni-Eje'i told reporters that his ministry might publicize confessions made by people held for weeks without access to their lawyers. Human rights activists raised concerns that "these so-called confessions are obtained under duress."[32]

Mohseni-Eje'i supported the election of Mojtaba Khamenei as the new leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran in March 2026.[33]

Mohseni-Eje'i has taught in the Baqir al-Olum College of the Ministry of Intelligence, in the educational department of the Islamic Revolutionary Court, as well as the Faculty of Judicial Sciences.[34]

Sanctions

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Mohseni-Eje'i is known for his harsh sentencing and has been sanctioned by Canada, the U.S., Switzerland, the European Union and others for human rights abuses.[35] He was among several Iranian officials who were sanctioned in 2011 by the United States Department of State and the European Union for his role in suppressing the 2009 Iranian presidential election protests.[36] The EU stated that:

while he was Intelligence Minister during the 2009 elections, intelligence agents under his command were responsible for the detention and torture of, and the extraction of false confessions under pressure from, hundreds of activists, journalists, dissidents and reformist politicians. In addition, political figures were coerced into making false confessions under unbearable interrogation, which included torture, abuse, blackmail and the threatening of family members.[6][8]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "درباره حجت الاسلام محسني اژه اي چه مي دانيم؟/دانشنامه". yjc.ir. Young Journalists Club. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  2. ↑ "محسنی اژه ای در حالی می گوید مرا آیت الله نخوانید که بعضی افراد از رسانه ها می خواهند به آنها آیت الله بگویند". khabaronline.ir. Khabaronline News Agancy. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  3. ↑ "انتصاب محسنی اژه‌ای به عنوان سخنگوی قوه‌قضائیه". Donya-e Eqtesad. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  4. ↑ Abbas Milani (3 August 2009). "Inside The Civil War That's Threatening The Iranian Regime". New Republic. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 "The Defector Who Returned to Iran". WNCRI. 9 August 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jeyaretnam, Miranda; Guzman, Chad de (2 March 2026). "After Khamenei, Who Could Lead Iran Next?". TIME. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  7. 1 2 Reals, Tucker (1 March 2026). "Iran names three men for interim Leadership Council to pick next supreme leader". CBS News. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 "Official Journal of the European Union". eur-lex.europa.eu. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  9. ↑ "Iran: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad presented his cabinet". Caucaz Europenews. 14 August 2005. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
  10. ↑ Shmuel Bar; Shmuel Bacher; Rachel Machtiger (January 2008). "Iranian nuclear decision making under Ahmedinejad" (PDF). Lauder School of Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 Sahimi, Muhammad (26 July 2009). "Ahmadinejad Sacks Ministers; Mashaei to Remain Close". PBS. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  12. ↑ David E. Thaler; Alireza Nader; Shahram Chubin; Jerrold D. Green; Charlotte Lynch; Frederic Wehrey (2010). "Factionalism and the Primacy of Informal Networks". Mullahs, Guards, and Bonyads (PDF). Santa Monica: RAND Corporation. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  13. ↑ Yonah Alexander; Milton M. Hoenig (2008). The New Iranian Leadership: Ahmadinejad, Terrorism, Nuclear Ambition, and the Middle East. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-275-99639-0. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  14. 1 2 3 "Iran: 17 proposed ministers receive votes of confidence, 4 rejected". Payvand. 25 August 2005. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  15. ↑ "Iranian journalist names names". BBC. 30 November 2000. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  16. ↑ Appointment of Mr. Mohseni Ejei as the Prosecutor of the Special Clerical Court khamenei.ir
  17. ↑ "محسنی اژه ای سحرخيز را گاز گرفت". www.bbc.com, BBC Persian. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  18. ↑ "Iran's Chief Justice, a theocratic stalwart, rebrands in an uncertain age". Iran International.
  19. ↑ "Gholam Eje'i, Khamenei's Man Heads the Iranian Judiciary". alestiklal.
  20. ↑ "Iran intelligence minister sacked". BBC News. 26 July 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  21. ↑ "فارسی – ايران – احمدی نژاد تغییر وزیر اطلاعات را به ناآرامی ها ارتباط داد". BBC. 20 August 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  22. ↑ Iran's sacked minister appointed as prosecutor general english.people.com.cn 25 August 2009
  23. 1 2 What do we know about Hojjatoleslam Mohseni Ejei? / Encyclopedia YJC
  24. ↑ "The world's most misogynist judge becomes head of Iran's judiciary". New Yorker. 3 August 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
  25. ↑ "Who are the three men on Iran's interim leadership council?". The Globe and Mail. 1 March 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  26. ↑ Jeyaretnam, Miranda; Guzman, Chad de (2 March 2026). "After Khamenei, Who Could Lead Iran Next?". TIME. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  27. 1 2 3 "Who is Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, the 'death sentence-happy' Iranian chief justice who Israel claims to have killed?". Wion. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  28. ↑ "'We Execute Those We Should' Says Iran's Unflinching Judiciary". Iran International. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  29. ↑ "EXPLAINER - Who are candidates for Iran's next supreme leader?". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  30. ↑ "Eje'i: Iran open to sensible, principled talks". ISNA (Iranian Students' News Agency)). Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  31. ↑ "Crisis as opportunity for the IRGC". Stratfor. 27 July 2009. Archived from the original on 5 August 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
  32. ↑ "Iran: Stop 'Framing' Government Critics". Human Rights Watch. 21 July 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
  33. ↑ پیام های تبریک مراجع، شخصیت ها و مقامات حوزوی و کشوری درپی انتخاب رهبر جدید انقلاب اسلامی Congratulatory messages from religious authorities, personalities, and national and regional officials following the election of the new leader of the Islamic Revolution Retrieved 24 March 2026
  34. ↑ محسنی اژه‌ای[permanent dead link] تابناک (وبگاه)، دریافت شده در ۱۰ خرداد ۱۴۰۰
  35. ↑ "Who are the three men on Iran's interim leadership council?". The Globe and Mail. 1 March 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  36. ↑ Iran names hardline cleric as top judge amid calls for probe aljazeera.com, accessed 28 November 2021
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