Position at the time of 1988 massacre: Head of Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Courts; Shari’a judge; and head of the “Death Commission” in Tehran
Present post and occupation: Head of the Supreme Disciplinary Court for Judges and Vice President of the Supreme Court
He was appointed as the Head of the “Death Commission” in Tehran upon Khomeini’s order. According to Iran’s former deputy supreme leader Hossein-Ali Montazeri, the order was issued on 26 July 1988 and states in part:
“[T]hose in prisons throughout the country who remain steadfast in their support for the Monafeqin [PMOI] are waging war on God and are condemned to execution”.
“The task of implementing the decree in Tehran is entrusted to Hojjatol-Eslam Nayyeri, the Shari’a Judge, Mr. Eshraqi, the Tehran prosecutor, and a representative of the Intelligence Ministry”.
Reliable sources indicate that the “Death Commission” started its work in Tehran’s Evin prison on 28 July 1988. The commission operated in both Evin and Gohardasht prisons. It is reported that they used helicopters to commute rapidly between Evin and Gohardasht to issue death sentences.