Iran: EU Council imposes sanctions on six individuals for serious human rights violations

Brussels – The Council of the European Union decided today (24 July) to impose restrictive measures on a further six individuals responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran, in line with the Union’s position of principle. These include five judges from Iran’s regional revolutionary courts who presided over trials of religious minorities and political dissidents, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, on the basis of vaguely defined charges relating to national security and religious grounds. In these cases, they have handed down death sentences and long prison terms, floggings, fines or additional penalties to political dissidents and human rights activists, including in connection with the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests following the death of Mahsa Amini. In addition to these five individuals, the Council has sanctioned Nima Salehi, an Iranian hacker and computer engineer, founder and leading figure of the cyber group Ashiyane. “Ashiyane Digital Security works closely with the Cyber Police (FATA), a body recognised by the EU, and with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and is responsible for intensive cyber-attacks against domestic opponents and reformists, as well as foreign institutions, thereby contributing to the regime’s repression of the opposition,” the Council explained.

Following today’s decision, the restrictive measures relating to human rights violations in Iran now apply to a total of 269 individuals and 53 entities. Specifically, these measures consist of an asset freeze, a travel ban to the EU and a ban on making funds or economic resources available to the listed individuals. There is also a ban in place on the export to Iran of equipment that could be used for internal repression, including telecommunications monitoring equipment.