Larijani dismissed from the post of head of the Judiciary's Human Rights Headquarters and appointed Bagheri Kani
Ali Bagheri Kani was appointed as the Secretary of the Judiciary's Human Rights Headquarters by order of the Head of the Judiciary, replacing Javad Larijani. The reason for this change was not announced. Javad Larijani is the brother of Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Parliament, and Sadegh Larijani, the former Head of the Judiciary.
On Sunday, December 29, Gholamhossein Esmaili, spokesman for the Judiciary, announced the change of the head of the Judiciary's Human Rights Headquarters.
Ali Bagheri Kani has been appointed as Deputy for International Affairs and Secretary of the Judiciary's Human Rights Headquarters, replacing Javad Larijani, by the order of the Head of the Judiciary. Ali Bagheri Kani is a graduate and professor at Imam Sadeq University and former Director General for Europe at the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is the brother of Misbah al-Hoda Bagheri Kani, son-in-law of Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Given his background and political experience, it is expected that Bagheri Kani's appointment will not cause any change in the field of human rights in Iran and the Islamic Republic's approach towards international human rights institutions.
Javad Larijani is one of the five Larijani brothers. The Larijani family has held and still holds the highest positions in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Ali Larijani is the Speaker of the Parliament, Baqer Larijani is the President of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Sadegh Larijani is the former Head of the Judiciary, and Fazel Larijani is another influential brother of this family.
Larijani calls Obama "black uncle"
Javad Larijani headed the Judiciary's Human Rights Headquarters for about 14 years. He made many controversial statements in the field of human rights. Among them, his racist remarks about Obama provoked many protests even inside Iran.
Larijani criticized Obama's policies in racist statements, saying: "When Obama came to office, he talked about engagement and dialogue with Iran. Why is it that today this 'black uncle' is talking about changing the Iranian regime?"
Larijani has never apologized for his racist and derogatory remarks.
Denial of protesters being killed
Javad Larijani had recently denied that “protesters” were killed in the November crackdown. As the secretary of the Judiciary’s Human Rights Headquarters, he had claimed that there were no protesters among those killed in the November protests.
Javad Larijani also called Amnesty International's statistics of at least 304 deaths in the crackdowns "claims," but did not announce any other statistics.
According to ISNA news agency, Mohammad Javad Larijani claimed on Tuesday, December 16, that 15 percent of those killed in the November incidents were "terrorist forces" and 85 percent of the rest were security forces and people "defending their homes against the attack of rioters."
The reason for Larijani's change
Ali Raisi, the head of the judiciary, has not announced the reason for the change in the secretary of the judiciary's human rights headquarters. However, prior to this change, there had been disagreements between him and former head of the judiciary, Sadegh Larijani.
The change of Sadegh Larijani had also caused controversy, and some analysts even considered his departure to be "the elimination of Larijani's."
Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Parliament, also recently announced that he "has no plans to participate in the upcoming elections to the Islamic Consultative Assembly."
Source: DW
