EU sanctions 29 Iranians, IRGC for human rights violations during ongoing protests
EU “strongly condemns the unacceptable violent crackdown of protesters. We stand with the Iranian people and support their right to protest,” Borrell said.
European Union on Monday, added 29 individuals and three entities to the list of sanctions over the human rights violations during the ongoing anti-Iranian regime protests demanding women’s basic rights. The bloc condemned the Iranian regime’s role in the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini who died due to alleged torture by the morality police in detention. Amini was arrested for her “loose hijab” and her death sparked violent demonstrations across Iran.
EU condemns ‘serious human rights violations’ by Iranian regime entities
European Union also blacklisted at least four members of the morality police “squad” that arbitrarily arrested Mahsa Amini, a statement released by the bloc said. The measure also included the provincial heads of the Iranian Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) and of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), as well as Brigadier General Kiyumars Heidari, the Commander of the Iranian Army’s Ground Forces, for their role in the brutal repression of the recent protests.
Additionally, the EU designated the Iranian state television broadcaster Press TV whom it held responsible for producing and broadcasting the forced confessions of detainees involved in the Mahsa Amini protests.
EU also listed Iran’s Vahid Mohammad Naser Majid, the head of the Iranian Cyber Police for his responsibility in arbitrarily arresting people. Bloc accused the former’s involvement in clampdown on the dissenters and online criticism of the Iranian regime. Iran’s Minister of Interior, Ahmad Vahidi, who is also in charge of the LEF, was also sanctioned for committing “serious human rights violations.”
EU “strongly condemns the unacceptable violent crackdown of protesters. We stand with the Iranian people and support their right to protest peacefully and voice their demands and views freely. We are today imposing additional sanctions on those responsible for the suppression of the Iranian protestors,” said Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
EU’s measures against the Iranian entities also consist of a travel ban and an asset freeze. In addition, EU citizens and companies were also forbidden from making funds available to the listed individuals and entities moving forward.
This includes the ban on the supply of equipment to Tehran which might be used by the regime for internal repression or any equipment that could be used to monitor telecommunications. In a strong criticism, members of the European Union unanimously derided the continued widespread and disproportionate use of force against the Iranian protesters.
“This is unjustifiable and unacceptable. People in Iran, as anywhere else, have the right to peacefully protest and this right must be ensured in all circumstances,” the European Union asserted in a statement. When asked if this new round of sanctions might be met with the countermeasures from Tehran, and could endanger JCPOA discussions, Borrell clarified that the “agreement is not on a good track, it is at a stalemate, but the work continues.”
