Ebrahim Raisi

Russia extensively used Iranian-designed Shahed drones against Ukraine. Kyiv and Western governments accused Tehran of supplying weapons, components and expertise during Raisi's presidency.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Under Raisi, Iran increased uranium enrichment to 60% and accumulated a substantial stockpile of material close to weapons-grade level, while negotiations to restore the 2015 agreement remained stalled.

State of the evidence

Documented

Raisi died in a helicopter crash alongside the Foreign Minister and other officials. His death ended any immediate prospect of personal proceedings in Iran concerning his role in the 1988 executions and subsequent crackdowns.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

After Mahsa Jina Amini died in police custody, Iranian forces killed hundreds of protesters and carried out mass arrests; Amnesty and HRW attribute significant responsibility for the crackdown to Raisi's government.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Institutional responsibility

Protesters from the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement were executed following proceedings denounced for torture, forced confessions and lack of fair trial safeguards.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Raisi supported stricter enforcement of compulsory hijab and morality rules, as morality police and other agencies increased checks on women.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

The November 2019 protests were suppressed with lethal force and thousands of arrests. Amnesty considered that the judiciary headed by Raisi subsequently granted broad impunity to alleged perpetrators while prosecuting protesters.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Institutional responsibility

Under Raisi, the judiciary continued extensively using the death penalty, including against individuals convicted of acts committed when they were minors, as well as corporal punishment and manifestly unfair trials.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Institutional responsibility

Ali Khamenei appointed Raisi head of the judiciary. HRW denounced the appointment of an official who had sat on the 1988 commission to oversee justice and accountability.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

The US Treasury sanctioned Raisi, citing his role in the 1988 commission, the repression of the Green Movement and abuses attributed to the judiciary, including executions of minors and prosecution of lawyers.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Raisi publicly defended the 1988 massacre, presenting it as one of the achievements of which the system could be proud, while families continued to demand truth and justice.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

During his first presidential campaign, Raisi faced criticism concerning his judicial past and role in the 1988 executions; he lost to Hassan Rouhani.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

As Prosecutor General, Raisi held one of the central positions in a judicial apparatus regularly accused of unfair trials, arbitrary detention and prosecution of human rights defenders and opponents.

State of the evidence

Documented

Raisi held senior judicial positions during the crackdown on Green Movement protests, marked by arrests, disputed trials and ill-treatment.

State of the evidence

Documented

Ebrahim Raisi, then a senior judicial official, sat on the Tehran commission that questioned political prisoners before several thousand were extrajudicially executed.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated