Ebrahim Raisi, who not too long ago died in a helicopter crash in northern Iran, was a extremely controversial determine in Iranian politics.
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Raisi orquestrated one in all Iran’s darkest durations
Referred to as “The Butcher of Tehran,”Raisi’s political journey and actions have left an indelible mark on Iran’s historical past.
Raisi’s political profession started after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which overthrew the Shah of Iran.
At simply 20 years outdated, he was appointed prosecutor-general of the Karaj and Hamadan provinces.
His early profession was marked by the persecution of minorities, notably the Baha’is, Iran’s largest non secular minority.
This era noticed quite a few deaths, with many people tortured and imprisoned beneath his watch.
Probably the most notorious chapter of Raisi’s profession, which earned him the moniker “The Butcher of Tehran,” occurred in 1988.
Following a United Nations-brokered ceasefire to finish the Iran-Iraq Warfare, Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a secret fatwa.
This decree led to the formation of “Dying Commissions” that oversaw the mass execution of political prisoners.
Raisi, then deputy prosecutor of the Revolutionary Court docket of Iran, was the youngest member of those commissions.
Experiences from Amnesty Worldwide and the United States Institute of Peace point out that between 4,000 to five,000 political prisoners have been executed throughout Iran, though some estimates recommend the quantity may very well be as excessive as 8,000.
This era stays one of many darkest in Iran’s historical past and solidified Raisi’s brutal popularity.
Raisi’s continued political Affect
Regardless of his controversial previous, Raisi continued to ascend in Iran’s political hierarchy.
He served as deputy head of the judiciary for a decade and was appointed prosecutor-general in 2014.
In 2019, the USA imposed sanctions on Raisi for human rights violations, particularly citing his position within the Nineteen Eighties executions.
He was a staunch advocate for Iran’s nuclear program and performed a key position within the negotiations and confrontations with Western nations.
His tenure noticed Iran enriching uranium close to weapons-grade ranges, resulting in stalled nuclear talks and heightened tensions with the West.
Moreover, his administration’s help for Russia through the Ukraine battle and his hardline strategy to Israel additional strained worldwide relations.
Domestically, Raisi’s presidency was marked by extreme crackdowns on dissent.
Following the loss of life of Mahsa Amini in police custody in 2022, Iran witnessed among the largest protests for the reason that 1979 revolution.
Raisi’s administration responded with brutal repression, ensuing within the deaths of over 500 protesters and the detention of roughly 22,000 people.
Human rights organizations condemned these actions, describing the federal government’s response as a “warfare on ladies” and a extreme violation of human rights.
Ebrahim Raisi’s loss of life marks the tip of a controversial chapter in Iran’s political historical past.
Whereas his supporters view him as a staunch defender of the Islamic Republic, his detractors see him as an emblem of the regime’s oppressive and violent ways.
The shadow of “The Butcher of Tehran” will proceed to loom massive over Iran’s political panorama for years to return.
