Russian Mob Associates Sentenced for Failed Hit on Iranian Dissident Journalist
Russian mob associates Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov received 25-year prison sentences in Manhattan for organizing a failed hit on Iranian dissident journalist Masih Alinejad, targeted for her criticism of the Iranian regime.
New York Daily NewsRussian mobsters get 25 years for botched NYC hit on Iranian dissident journalist
New York Sun‘I Was Treated as a Business Transaction’: Brooklyn Woman Marked for Death by Iran Tells Court of ‘Humiliation’ as Would-Be Assassins Get 25 Years
The GuardianTwo Russians sentenced to 25 years for plot to kill Iranian dissident in US
Overview
Russian mob associates Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov were sentenced to 25 years in prison by Judge Colleen McMahon in Manhattan Federal Court.
The sentencing was for their involvement in organizing a botched assassination attempt on Iranian dissident journalist Masih Alinejad.
Alinejad has been a target due to her outspoken criticism of the Iranian regime's corruption, human rights abuses, and advocacy for women's rights.
Amirov and Omarov, along with Mehdiyev, were arrested in Europe and subsequently extradited to the U.S. to face charges related to the plot.
The 25-year prison terms underscore the severity of the international plot to silence a journalist critical of a foreign government.
Analysis
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FAQ
Masih Alinejad is an Iranian-American journalist and women's rights activist known for her outspoken criticism of the Iranian regime's corruption and human rights abuses. She was targeted due to her activism, including launching campaigns against compulsory hijab and advocating for women's rights, which angered the Iranian government.
The assassination attempt organized by Russian mob associates Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov was a failed plot to kill Masih Alinejad. The perpetrators were arrested in Europe, extradited to the U.S., and sentenced to 25 years in prison for their involvement in the botched hit.
Masih Alinejad launched the 'My Stealthy Freedom' Facebook page in 2014, encouraging Iranian women to post photos without the mandatory hijab, and the 'White Wednesdays' campaign, a peaceful protest against compulsory veiling. These are the largest civil disobedience campaigns for women's rights in the Islamic Republic's history.
Alinejad began as a parliamentary journalist in Tehran, critically reporting on government corruption and human rights abuses. Due to her activism and opposition to the regime, she was forced to flee Iran in 2009 and has faced multiple threats and assassination attempts orchestrated by foreign agents.
Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov received 25-year prison sentences in a Manhattan Federal Court, highlighting the severity of the international plot to silence Alinejad.
