The Iranian regime has appointed Naser Seraj, a notorious figure involved in serious human rights violations, as the new Secretary of the Human Rights Headquarters of the Islamic Republic. His appointment was ordered by Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, the regime’s chief justice.
On Saturday, February 8, Mizan News Agency, the judiciary’s official media outlet, reported that Seraj was also named Deputy Director of International Affairs of the Judiciary. He will hold both positions simultaneously. He replaces Kazem Gharibabadi, who had been serving as Deputy Director of International Affairs and Human Rights of the Judiciary since 2021.
A Career Marked by Repression and Human Rights Abuses
Seraj’s extensive judicial career spans over 46 years, during which he has played a significant role in suppressing dissent and violating citizens’ rights. His track record mirrors those of his predecessors at the Human Rights Headquarters, who have consistently sought to deny and refute reports from UN Special Rapporteurs regarding widespread human rights abuses in Iran.
Often referred to as “Judge Seraj,” he began his career in 1979 as a prosecutor and investigator. Over the decades, he has held numerous key positions within the regime’s judicial system, including:
Head of the Tehran Criminal Prosecutor’s Office
Deputy Judicial Officer of the General Justice Department of Tehran Province
Head of the Criminal Courts of Tehran Province
Representative of the Attorney General
Secretary of the Judiciary’s Election Inquiry Headquarters
Representative of the Judiciary on the Board for Determining Members of the Press Oversight Jury
Deputy Political and Security Officer of the Attorney General
Head of the General Inspection Organization
Advisor to the Judiciary
Military Prosecutor of Tehran
Deputy Political Officer of the Judiciary
His role in overseeing press juries nationwide makes him directly responsible for widespread violations of freedom of expression and the suppression of independent journalism.
Role in Death Sentences and Executions
Seraj has also been directly involved in the violation of the right to life. As a judge, he presided over the controversial 2012 embezzlement case involving three trillion tomans, issuing multiple death sentences. Four defendants, including Mahafarid Amir Khosravi, were sentenced to death on charges of “corruption on earth by participating in disrupting the country’s economic system.”
Amir Khosravi was suddenly executed on May 24, 2014, without prior notice to his family or defense attorney. Reports suggest that his execution was expedited to prevent him from exposing the involvement of high-ranking regime officials in economic corruption scandals. Just three days before his execution, his lawyer revealed that Amir Khosravi had written to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, threatening to disclose the names of those implicated in financial crimes.
A Symbol of Iran’s Systematic Repression
Seraj’s appointment to the Human Rights Headquarters underscores the regime’s continued disregard for international human rights norms. His long history of suppressing freedom of speech, issuing politically motivated death sentences, and overseeing judicial crackdowns makes him emblematic of Iran’s systemic repression. With Seraj at the helm, the Human Rights Headquarters is expected to continue its role as a tool for whitewashing the regime’s abuses rather than upholding justice and human dignity.
Source » irannewsupdate