Judiciary of Iran

The Judiciary of Iran is the court system set up under the 1979 Constitution, which calls it an independent power charged with investigating and judging grievances, supervising law enforcement, uncovering crimes, and prosecuting and punishing offenders. Its head is appointed by the Supreme Leader for a five-year term, and it sits in Tehran. Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei has headed it since 1 July 2021; Al-Monitor reported he was reappointed to a second five-year term in July 2026. Iran Human Rights and ECPM say Iranian authorities executed at least 1,639 people in 2025, including 11 public hangings. In 2026 stories, the judiciary is the body that tried protesters over the January 2026 protests: reports say 12 to 14 defendants were tried together before two men were hanged in Isfahan on 28 July 2026, and the UN Special Rapporteur said the proceedings were closed-door and contravened fair-trial standards. Amnesty International reports the judiciary summoned two lawyers on 29 April 2026 on charges of 'spreading lies' after they raised due-process concerns in a protest-related death-penalty case.