EU slaps new human rights sanctions against Iran over protest crackdown

EU slaps new human rights sanctions against Iran over protest crackdown
by Darryl Coote
Washington DC (UPI) May 23, 2021

The European Union has imposed another round of punitive sanctions targeting Iran over its ongoing crackdown on anti-regime protests.

lawmakers of the 27-nation bloc approved the sanctions Monday against five people and two entities involved in the bloody oppression of protesters who have taken to the streets since 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody in mid-September after being arrested and allegedly beaten over violating laws dictating the wearing of hijab.

The crackdown has resulted in the deaths of at least 540 protesters and thousands have been arrested.

The United Nations said that since Jan 1., the regime has also committed at least 259 executions, most for drug-related offenses, but the punishment has been employed against protesters, including Majid Kazemi, Saleh Mirhashemi and Saeed Yaghoubi, who were killed Friday.

Josep Borrell, the union's high representative for foreign affairs and security, highlighted the recent executions to reporters during remarks prior to the Monday council meeting.

"We will approve a new package of sanctions against Iran for human rights abuses," he said. "Remember that three people have been executed and we will adopt this new package of sanctions."

The package of asset freezes and travel bans hit Iran's elite Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Cooperative Foundation, which the EU accuses of being at "the forefront of the crackdown."

The bloc said the foundation manages the IRGC's investments and is behind the funneling of funds to the Student Basij Organization, which is the IRGC's "violent enforcers" on university campuses.

The Basij were also hit with the EU sanctions. The bloc said the SBO, which consists of the Basij's most radical members, were extremely active when the protests first erupted by turning university campuses into "the main theaters of repression."

The five people blacklisted Monday include Salman Adinehvand, commander of the Tehran Police Relief Unit of Iran's Law Enforcement Forces; and Seyyed Mohammad Amin Aghamiri, secretary of Iran's Supreme Council of Cyberspace.

Public prosecutor Mohsen Nikvarz, Col. Nader Moradi of the Public Security Police and police spokesman Brig. Gen. Saeed Montazer Al-Mahdi were also hit.

The package is the eighth targeting Iran for human rights abuses and lifts the number of restrictive measures it has applied to 216 people and 37 entities.

"The European Union expresses its support for the fundamental aspiration of the people of Iran for a future where their universal human rights and fundamental freedoms are respected, protected and fulfilled," the EU said in a statement.