In a significant legal decision, two alleged mafia figures were found guilty on Thursday of scheming to assassinate Iranian American journalist Masih Alinejad at her residence in New York City as part of a murder-for-hire plot reportedly funded by the Iranian government.
The trial, held in federal court in New York, concluded with this verdict after two weeks of compelling testimonies, notably from a supposed hitman and Alinejad herself, a writer and contributor to Voice of America.
Though she was not present in court, Alinejad expressed her mixed feelings upon hearing the decision, speaking in an interview about her tears and the swirling of emotions from the news.
“It’s a relief after nearly three years to see justice served for those who sought my life. Nevertheless, the true orchestrators still remain at large within Iran,” she stated. She described the ruling as a significant gesture by the U.S. government to the Iranian populace, symbolizing the emergence of justice.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky emphasized that the judgment demonstrates the United States’ resolve to pursue those who threaten its citizens globally.
Leslie R. Backschies, leading the FBI’s New York office, spoke against Iran’s audacious actions and its disregard for legal boundaries in trying to silence a critic of its human rights abuses.
The prosecutors identified those convicted, Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, as high-ranking members of the Russian mafia. Conversely, their defense teams contested their guilt and questioned the reliability of the evidence.
“We respect the jury’s decision, yet we remain committed to appealing the outcome for Mr. Omarov,” stated Elena Fast, the defense attorney representing Omarov. No immediate commentary was made by Amirov’s lawyer.
Alinejad, aged 48, became a target for Iran due to her outspoken online campaigns, prompting Iranian women to unveil themselves in defiance of the country’s stringent dress codes.
According to the prosecution, the Iranian regime initially tried to abduct her from the U.S. in 2020 and 2021 to silence her criticism. When these efforts failed, a $500,000 bounty was placed on her life in July 2022, following unsuccessful attempts to intimidate and tarnish her reputation.
U.S. officials have recurrently accused Iran of orchestrating various assassination plots within the American borders, a claim vehemently denied by Tehran, who has pledged no such interventions.
Alinejad, in her testimony, recounted her journey to the United States in 2009 after facing a ban in Iran following the controversial presidential elections and the subsequent closure of the newspaper she worked for. Residing in New York City, she built a significant online presence, urging Iranian women to defy government edicts by exposing their hair in public.
This defiance led to increased activism within Iran and saw women participate in peaceful protests, a move that the Iranian authorities countered through mass arrests, inadvertently boosting Alinejad’s influence.
Evidence presented at trial portrayed Iran’s 2022 attempt to enlist organized crime figures, like Amirov and Omarov, to eliminate Alinejad. Khalid Mehdiyev, a former Russian mob member, testified about his role as the intended assassin and disclosed how law enforcement thwarted his plans.
Mehdiyev cooperated with authorities after Illinois plea agreement, confessing to obtaining an AK-47 for the task, which police recovered, dismantling the plot as he was apprehended nearby Alinejad’s home.
Despite this verdict, investigations persist, with additional charges against a senior Iranian military figure and others, who remain unapprehended, unveiled as recently as October.
Separate charges against a Revolutionary Guard associate in Iran implicated in planning to assassinate John Bolton, the former U.S. national security adviser, reflect on Iran’s retaliatory stance over historical grievances, including Soleimani’s demise.
Alinejad has frequently relocated since the plot’s revelation, burdened by the unease of her supporters’ vulnerability in Iran, yet this only deepens her commitment to champion their voices, highlighting the enduring cause for which she stands.