Today, the Official Journal of the European Union published regulations concerning extended EU sanctions against Iran, in which restrictive measures against 82 human rights violators in Iran and a ban on the exportation of equipment for “monitoring telecommunications and other equipment” that might be used for “internal repression” will be implemented. The updated list of human rights violators can be found on their website.
Among those sanctioned whose assets will remain frozen in the EU zone is the Iranian Cyber Police, also known as FATA and persons associated with this division of law enforcement. Additionally, prominent figures including Sadeq Larijani, Head of the Judiciary, Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi, former Attorney General of Iran, Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi, Tehran’s Prosecutor, Abdulasamad Khoram-Abadi, Deputy Attorney General of Cyber-related activities, and Mohammad Reza Naqdi, Senior Officer of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps(IRGC) are also in the list.
Following the crackdown on the post-2009 election protests in Iran and the efforts of Iranian and international human rights organisations, the EU adopted restrictive measures against entities and people responsible for serious human right violations.
Between 2011 and 2013, one entity (FATA) and some 87 individuals, including judges of revolutionary courts, officials in Iranian intelligence and IRGC officials who had a key role in the crackdown of protests after the elections, were added to the list of those subjected to EU sanctions. However, since Rouhani took office and started nuclear negotiations, the European Union has refrained from adding new names to the list. Nevertheless, the EU has been extending the sanctions annually.
Hossein Hamedani, a Major General who was killed in Syria, as well as some names which were repeated have been removed from the list, hence bringing the total number of sanctioned violators to 82.
What positions do these banned human right violators occupy now?
Justice for Iran has updated information regarding the occupations of many of those listed. Out of the 82 human right violators, 19 still serve in the same post and 42 have been assigned to new official posts. There is however currently no information regarding the posts held by the remaining 13.
Only the following three were released from their duties for their role in torturing protesters to death in “Kahrizak” detention centre: Saeed Mortazavi, former Tehran’s Prosecutor, Hassan Zare Dehnavi, Security Deputy of Tehran’s Revolutionary Prosecution and finally Aliakbar Heidari Far, Prosecutor of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court and an advisor to Mortazavi.
