Ali Khamenei

Ali Khamenei
Other names	علی خامنه‌ای
Born	19 April 1939 Mashhad, Khorasan, Imperial State of Iran
Occupation	Politician

Ali Hosseini Khamenei is the 2nd supreme leader of Iran and dictator.

Controversy

Violation of human rights

Khamenei reportedly responsible for closure of universities and the violent suppression of students’ dissidence, when The Council announced a cultural revolution. During the national Friday Prayer on 18 April 1980. Khamenei also threatened university students in his speech.

As a member of the Council of the Islamic Revolution, Khamenei was also responsible for enacting laws that legalized the violent oppression of political dissidents.

Have we abolished the death penalty? No! In the Islamic Republic, we have the death penalty for those who deserve to be executed… Do you think we will treat them—the people who are in prison and still have contact with the munafiqin (Mujahedin-e Khalq,) who have attacked our state—to sweets and candies? If their connection to that organization is determined, what should be done about it? They are condemned to death, and we will execute them! We are not joking about this matter. — Ali Khamenei, 1988

On 1988 Massacre, during Khamenei's presidency, thousands of political prisoners were executed under Ayatollah Khomeini’s fatwa (religious order), pursuant to the intelligence and judiciary authorities’ decisions. Khamenei defended mass executions.

On 2009 Post-election Protests, Ali Khamenei called for the suppression of protesters. He also threatened protesters with punishment during a speech and urged them to reject any claims of fraud regarding the election results.

Khamenei issued a fatwa (religious order) against Baha'i (a religion) citizens and has described them as najis (unclean).

Cult of personality

Khamenei's cult of personality is promoted by IRGC propaganda, he is portrayed as quasi‑infallible, even compared to Imam Ali. The idea was rebuffed by most Shia scholars as blasphemous.

Setad

Setad (Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order), created after the 1979 revolution, have confiscated assets from religious minorities, political dissidents, and ordinary Iranians without due process. As of 2013, Reuters investigation estimated Setad's assets total about $95 billion.

Setad also claims in court, sometimes falsely, that the properties had been abandoned.

Setad is reportedly under Khamenei's control.