Iranian Judiciary Admits Clerics and Basij Were Sent to Detention Centers During 2022 Uprising

Iran’s top judicial official has confirmed that clerics and members of the Basij paramilitary were deployed to detention centers during the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests, claiming the move was meant to “guide” detainees — including minors and students.

Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said Tuesday that around 90,000 legal cases were opened following the nationwide protests sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in morality police custody. He acknowledged that many of those arrested were from diverse segments of society, including schoolchildren, university students, and teachers.

Ejei stated that mass prosecutions could have been “exploited by enemies,” so the regime involved seminaries, academics, and Basij members in what he called an effort to “admonish and guide” detainees rather than punish them all.

He added that those accused of violent or organized actions were excluded from this approach and were “dealt with legally.”

Human rights organizations have reported that thousands were detained during the protests, including many minors, and at least eight people were executed in connection with the unrest.