EU Sanctions Iranian Judicial Officials Over Abductions of European Nationals
Collective Action Is Only Way to Address Iran’s Hostage Taking
Conditions of Imprisoned Dual and Foreign Nationals: “Comparable to torture under international law”
April 14, 2025—The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) welcomes the collective action undertaken by the European Union (EU) to sanction seven Iranian prison and judicial officials for their role in the unlawful imprisonment of dual and foreign nationals.
The Islamic Republic has been abducting dual and foreign nationals for years, convicting them without due process in sham trials under manufactured charges, and then imprisoning them under horrific conditions so that they can be used as bargaining chips by Iran to extract financial and political concessions from other countries. Some have even been executed.
“The Iranian authorities have perfected their practice of abducting dual and foreign nationals, and then making lucrative side deals with countries desperate for the release of their citizens,” said Hadi Ghaemi, CHRI executive director.
“Collective action is the only means to address this criminal behavior,” Ghaemi added. “Without it, more dual and foreign nationals in Iran will be snatched off the streets and held indefinitely as hostages.”
The 27-nation bloc instituted asset freezes and travel bans on three judges, two prosecutors, and two prison officials. Those sanctioned include:
- Heydarollah Farzadi, head of the notorious Evin Prison
- Ali Salehi, Tehran’s public prosecutor
- Abbasali Hozan, judge at the Tehran Court of Appeals
- Mohammad Khosravani, special prosecutor at Shiraz Revolutionary Court
- Mahmoud Sadati, judge at Shiraz Revolutionary Court
- Kamran Zare, judge at Shiraz Court of Appeals
- Mehdi Ne’mati, head of prison intelligence in Fars Province
The EU also froze the assets of Shiraz Central Prison, stating “hostages…have been unlawfully detained in this prison, where their access to a fair trial has been denied and where they have experienced severe violations of their most basic rights,” as well as the Revolutionary Court of Shiraz in Fars province, noting its role in “unjust trials and executions of political dissidents and persecution of individuals from minority communities.”
At least 20 European citizens have reportedly been unlawfully arrested and held by the Iranian authorities in recent years. Many abducted nationals are never known publicly as families hope public silence will expedite the release of their loved ones. Many nationals from other countries, including the United States, have also been held.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot noted Iran’s “state policy” of hostage taking, stating, “It’s high time because the conditions in which some of our French and European compatriots are being detained are disgraceful and comparable to torture under international law.”
CHRI urges more States to join coordinated, collective, international action to address the Islamic Republic’s criminal practice of taking hostages, through sanctions and the prosecution of responsible officials through national courts under the principle of universal jurisdiction.
