Irwin Cotler because of his efforts to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.
An alleged Iranian plot to kill a former justice minister and rights campaigner who has been critical of Tehran has apparently been thwarted by Canada.
According to a Globe and Mail article, Irwin Cotler, 84, was told on October 26 that Iranian agents were threatening to kill him.
Authorities followed two suspects in the scheme, according to the publication, which cited an unnamed source. It’s yet unknown, though, if they have been taken into custody or have left the nation.
From 2003 until 2006, Cotler held the positions of attorney general and justice minister. Despite retiring from office in 2015, he has continued to be involved in global human rights movements.
According to the Globe and Mail, Iran has been keeping an eye on him since 2008 because of his international push to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps [IRGC] as a terrorist organization. Cotler is a fervent defender of Israel and has also defended Iranian political prisoners.
Under protection
After Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, the 84-year-old has been protected by the RCMP for more than a year, complete with bulletproof cars and heavily armed officers.
The Globe and Mail report has also been verified by the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, where Cotler serves as international chair. Cotler “has no knowledge or details regarding any arrests made” in relation to the issue, according to a spokeswoman.
However, a representative for Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s minister of public safety, chose not to respond to the report. “We cannot comment on, nor confirm specific RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) operations due to security reasons.”
According to AFP, Canada, which broke diplomatic ties with Iran over ten years ago, declared the Revolutionary Guard to be a prohibited terrorist organization in June.
At the time, it claimed that Iranian officials consistently showed “disregard for human rights both inside and outside of Iran, as well as a willingness to destabilize the international rules-based order.”
