Two Men Convicted in Murder-For-Hire Plot Against Iranian-American Journalist
Federal Jury Finds Duo Guilty in Foiled Assassination Attempt on Masih Alinejad in New York
Two men have been convicted in a high-profile murder-for-hire scheme that targeted Iranian-American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad at her Brooklyn home.
A federal jury in Manhattan found Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov guilty on multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, firearms possession, and money laundering. The pair now face decades behind bars.
Prosecutors say the plot was orchestrated and funded by the Iranian government in retaliation for Alinejad’s outspoken activism, particularly her efforts to campaign against Iran’s mandatory hijab laws for women.
Iran has denied the allegations, dismissing them as “ridiculous and baseless,” despite being previously linked to similar plots targeting Alinejad, including a failed kidnapping attempt in 2021 that led to the indictment of four Iranian intelligence agents.
The jury reached its verdict swiftly—after just over three hours of deliberation following a two-week trial. Prosecutors described Amirov and Omarov as operatives with ties to Russian organized crime, who were contracted to carry out the assassination in July 2022.
The plot unraveled before it could be executed, but prosecutors revealed that a $500,000 bounty had been placed on Alinejad’s life after earlier attempts to silence her failed.
Following the verdict, Alinejad, who fled Iran in 2009 and later worked with Voice of America, released a powerful statement.
"I have cried, I have laughed, I have even danced. Because today is not just about my survival; it is about the defeat and humiliation of a regime that believes it can silence its critics with bullets," she said.
"They failed. I am still here. And I will keep fighting until every criminal in that regime faces their reckoning."
Though not present in the courtroom, Alinejad’s words echoed a broader message of resistance, as she vowed to continue her work advocating for human rights and free speech.
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