Two men have been convicted of murder-for-hire in a plot orchestrated by the Iranian government to silence Masih Alinejad, a journalist affiliated with Voice of America. The men, Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, were found guilty on five counts, including murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Alinejad, who has criticized Iran’s treatment of women and human rights record, responded to the verdict by stating that the regime is being held accountable for bringing its campaign of terror to the U.S.
The indictment alleges that high-ranking members of the Revolutionary Guard hired Amirov and Omarov to find and kill Alinejad for $500,000. The plan came after a failed attempt to kidnap the journalist in 2021. The defendants subcontracted the task to another crime group member, Khalid Mehdiyev, who was later arrested with a weapon near Alinejad’s home.
The FBI described the plot as a brazen attempt to silence an Iranian American dissident in the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio commended the convictions as a message that Iran’s attempts at lethal plotting against Americans will be met with swift justice. Alinejad had been banned from Iran for her coverage of corrupt politicians and her social media campaign urging women to remove their hijabs.
Amirov and Omarov face potential life in prison at their sentencing in September. The case underscores the growing concerns about foreign governments targeting critics overseas and the importance of holding them accountable.
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