NEW YORK (AP) — A plot to assassinate Iranian American journalist [Masih Alinejad](https://apnews.com/article/germany-us-iran-murder-plot-masih-alinejad-72e20558d5f3c2b78e16188c85a88d8d) at her Brooklyn home came 'chillingly near success,' prosecutors told a judge who will sentence two purported Russian mobsters.
Prosecutors are seeking 55-year prison terms for [Rafat Amirov](https://apnews.com/article/iran-murder-plot-trial-masih-alinejad-d17a4b4bad3205c705f4e61f5a288785), 46, and Polad Omarov, 41, at their sentencing on Wednesday in Manhattan federal court. Prosecutors said Amirov, of Iran, and Omarov, of Georgia, were crime bosses in the Russian mob.
Lawyers for Amirov argue he should not spend more than 13 years behind bars, while Omarov’s attorneys called for a 10-year sentence. The men were convicted in a two-week March trial that included dramatic testimonies from a hired gunman and Alinejad, an author, activist, and contributor to Voice of America.
Alinejad stated she planned to be in court to confront the men accused of orchestrating the scheme, linked to the Gulici faction of the Russian Mob, notorious for violent crimes including murders and kidnappings.
'They will receive their sentence, and I will speak my truth in my impact statement,' she said.
Alinejad, 49, is known for her campaigns encouraging women in Iran to defy head-covering laws. Iranian intelligence officials previously plotted in 2020 and 2021 to kidnap her, revealing the extent of her adversaries’ intentions.
Ultimately, Alinejad was targeted after Iran failed to intimidate her through harassment and smear tactics, leading to a $500,000 bounty in July 2022 for her assassination.
A prosecutor noted that the plot nearly succeeded, disrupted only because Alinejad was out of town when the hired gunman attempted to locate her. Defense lawyers, however, claimed Amirov’s involvement was minimal and emphasized that no physical harm occurred.
Alinejad’s journey to the U.S. began in 2009 after being banned from covering political events in Iran, transitioning into a powerful voice against the regime. Since the plot's discovery, she has relocated numerous times for her safety.
Prosecutors continue to investigate, having recently announced charges against a senior Iranian military official and others, all of whom remain at large.
Prosecutors are seeking 55-year prison terms for [Rafat Amirov](https://apnews.com/article/iran-murder-plot-trial-masih-alinejad-d17a4b4bad3205c705f4e61f5a288785), 46, and Polad Omarov, 41, at their sentencing on Wednesday in Manhattan federal court. Prosecutors said Amirov, of Iran, and Omarov, of Georgia, were crime bosses in the Russian mob.
Lawyers for Amirov argue he should not spend more than 13 years behind bars, while Omarov’s attorneys called for a 10-year sentence. The men were convicted in a two-week March trial that included dramatic testimonies from a hired gunman and Alinejad, an author, activist, and contributor to Voice of America.
Alinejad stated she planned to be in court to confront the men accused of orchestrating the scheme, linked to the Gulici faction of the Russian Mob, notorious for violent crimes including murders and kidnappings.
'They will receive their sentence, and I will speak my truth in my impact statement,' she said.
Alinejad, 49, is known for her campaigns encouraging women in Iran to defy head-covering laws. Iranian intelligence officials previously plotted in 2020 and 2021 to kidnap her, revealing the extent of her adversaries’ intentions.
Ultimately, Alinejad was targeted after Iran failed to intimidate her through harassment and smear tactics, leading to a $500,000 bounty in July 2022 for her assassination.
A prosecutor noted that the plot nearly succeeded, disrupted only because Alinejad was out of town when the hired gunman attempted to locate her. Defense lawyers, however, claimed Amirov’s involvement was minimal and emphasized that no physical harm occurred.
Alinejad’s journey to the U.S. began in 2009 after being banned from covering political events in Iran, transitioning into a powerful voice against the regime. Since the plot's discovery, she has relocated numerous times for her safety.
Prosecutors continue to investigate, having recently announced charges against a senior Iranian military official and others, all of whom remain at large.
