‘A Ruling From God’: Iran’s Judiciary Chief Defends Amputation of Thieves’ Hands

Latest Developments

• Tehran Upholds Brutal Punishment: The amputation of thieves’ hands as a judicial penalty reflects the divine will, said Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the chief of Iran’s judiciary, on December 7. “If theft is proven under the conditions set by Islam, the thief’s fingers must be amputated,” he asserted during a speech at Tehran’s Islamic Azad University. “This is a ruling from God that has been implemented and continues to be implemented, despite the pressure we face from various organizations.”

• Tehran Escalates Number of Amputations: Iran International, a London-based news outlet, reported that Iran conducted “an unprecedented number of amputations for theft over the past three years.” According to Iranian civil society organizations, Iran sentenced at least 237 people to amputations between January 1, 2000, and September 24, 2020. Iran carried out the sentence in at least 129 of these cases.

• Tehran Takes Pride in Amputations: The Islamic Republic has conducted amputations ever since its establishment in 1979, with the penal code explicitly authorizing them. In 2010, then judiciary official Ebrahim Raisi called amputations “a source of pride for us.” He went on to become Iran’s president from August 2021 until his death in a helicopter crash in May 2024. Under the leadership of his successor, Masoud Pezeshkian, whom many Western countries regard as a moderate, amputations have continued. As recently as October 2024, Tehran amputated the right hands of two brothers convicted of theft.

FDD Expert Response

“As the regime becomes more isolated and weakened, fearing what comes next, it is doubling down on oppression as a show of force. Reports indicate that pressure on its most steadfast opponents, such as Manouchehr Bakhtyari, Fatemeh Sepehri, Khaled Pirzadeh, and others, has intensified over the past few weeks.” — Saeed Ghasseminejad, Senior Iran and Financial Economics Advisor

“The Islamic Republic’s cruelty knows no bounds. It’s no surprise that the Iranian public has reacted accordingly over the past several years, with countless citizens risking their lives by protesting on the country’s streets. They will now look for solidarity from President-elect Trump, who has an opportunity to provide maximum support to the Iranian people and ultimately end this brutal regime.” — Tzvi Kahn, Research Fellow and Senior Editor

“The Islamic Republic has long justified its support for proxies as a means of countering the threat from Sunni Islamist extremist groups, such as ISIS and al-Qaeda. Yet its policies involve committing heinous atrocities of its own. In the eyes of Iranians, the regime ultimately mirrors the same radical groups it claims to oppose.” — Janatan Sayeh, Research Analyst

FDD Background and Analysis

“Iran Amputates Fingers of Two Prisoners Convicted of Theft,” FDD Flash Brief

“Iran Conducts First Public Execution of 2024 as Hunger Strikes Continue,” FDD Flash Brief

“Wave of Executions Continues in Iran,” FDD Flash Brief