The European Union released a new list of sanctions today, which included an Iranian mobile service provider that aided the Iranian government in silencing dissent in recent protests.
The entity, Ariantel, was placed on the EU sanctions list on April 24th, 2023, for contributing to the telecommunication surveillance mapped out by the Iranian government, presumably during the most recent protests.
Ariantel is one entity amongst 8 individuals sanctioned today due to, “serious human rights violations in Iran.” These include members of the Iranian Parliament and officials of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“I am so pleased that the EU sanctioned Ariantel today for their role in intercepting the communications of Iranian users by integrating the Iranian government’s surveillance system. Now it is time to go after their foreign partners,” says Shadi Sadr, Justice for Iran’s Executive Director.
Justice for Iran has repeatedly called on international actors to hold companies, especially those involved in telecommunications, accountable for being contributing to the Iranian government’s surveillance state.
The EU had previously placed a ban on exports of equipment, which may be used in repression of dissent or telecommunication surveillance, to Iran.
The Iranian regime has a history of using telecommunication technology for surveillance of its citizens, and later using them as evidence in court. Recent examples include using CCTV technology to identify protestors, and gaining access to private messages and phone conversations held by telecommunication services.
The EU now holds 211 individuals and 35 entities from Iran on its sanctions list. Entities include, but are not limited to, Radis Vira Tejarat, Samane Gostar Sahab Pardaz Private Limited Company and Ravin Academy, which have all provided the Iranian government with IT, telecommunications and surveillance support and training.
