Politics Iran: Judiciary chief calls for retaliation
Iran's head of the judiciary has called for retribution for security forces and police officers killed during the protests.
12.01.2026, 11:32
12.01.2026, 11:33
SDA
"Decisive and effective measures should be taken in retaliation for the martyrs and victims of the recent unrest," said Gholam-Hussein Mohseni-Edschehi, according to state radio. Those who attacked police forces or attacked security force facilities and urban infrastructure must be brought to justice as a matter of priority, he said.
Iranians have been demonstrating against the Islamic Republic's authoritarian system of rule for more than two weeks. The protests, which were originally triggered by an economic crisis, have now developed into a nationwide uprising. There have been violent riots and serious unrest in the cities. The security apparatus reacted with brutal severity. According to activists, hundreds of demonstrators have already been killed. These are the most serious protests in Iran for years.
Last week, the judiciary had already announced "maximum severity" in dealing with demonstrators. It has also handed down death sentences in previous waves of protests. In the fall of 2022, people took to the streets across the country under the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom". The state subsequently executed at least twelve people in connection with the unrest.
