EU Finalizes Sanctions for 32 Individuals in Iranian Government Who Violated Human Rights
The names of 32 individuals to be sanctioned by the European Union (EU) were announced today. Reports indicated that 80 Iranian officials had been reviewed by EU officials. After a review of that list, the names of these 32 individuals, some of whom are top-ranking Iranian officials, have also been added. The sanctions will be effective in all EU member states. Noteworthy is the inclusion of judicial authorities in some Iranian cities and provinces, as well as the Head Warden of Evin Prison’s Ward 350 on the list.
According to the second article of these procedures, which concentrates on the restrictions put on the individuals, all financial resources belonging to the 32 individuals, or those controlled through entities, individuals or organizations related to them, are blocked. Additionally, no assistance or financial resources will be made available to these individuals through member states whether directly or indirectly. Individuals and entities that operate under EU procedures will be fined for violating these procedures.
A few months after the 2009 disputed presidential election, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran published a comprehensive report and introduced 15 perpetrators of violence and individuals responsible in the post-election violence. In the report, entitled Men of Violence, the individuals’ backgrounds, positions, statements, and roles in post-election events are comprehensively described by the Campaign. (Men of Violence multimedia, PDF file)
In the introduction to the new EU procedures, referring to the widespread violations of human rights in Iran after the 2009 election and the arrests of journalists, political activists, and human rights activists, the named individuals are stated to be directly or indirectly responsible for ordering or implementing the violence.
The stipulated sanctions will also include flight restrictions. Any airplane that flies under EU rules and regulations is bound by the sanctions on these 32 individuals.
The list of the sanctioned individuals is as follows:
1. Ismail Ahmadi Moghadam, Iran’s Chief of Police: Forces under his command carried out brutal attacks on peaceful gatherings as well as at Tehran University dormitories on 15 June 2009.
2. Hossein Allahkaram, Head of Ansar Hezbollah and an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Officer: He was one of the founding members of Ansar-e Hezbollah. This paramilitary force was responsible for the extraordinary violence used during the crackdown on students in 1999, 2002, and 2009.
3. Abdollah Eraghi, Deputy Army Commander of the IRGC: During the summer of 2009 (after the presidential election), he was directly and personally responsible for the suppression of protests.
4. Ali Fazli, Deputy Commander of the Basij, Former Commander of the IRGC’s Seyed-ol-Shohada Force in Tehran Province until 2010: the IRGC’s Seyed-ol-Shohada Force is responsible for Tehran Province’s security and carried out a central part in the bloody crackdown on protesters after the election.
5. Hossein Hamadani, IRGC Commander
6. Mohammad Ali Jafari, IRGC Commander
7. Ali Khalili, Head of the Sarallah Base Medical Unit
8. Bahram Hosseini Motlagh, Commander of the IRGC’s Seyed-ol-Shohada Base
9. Mohammad Reza Naghdi, Basij Commander
10. Mohammad Reza Radan, Deputy Police Chieif
11. Azizollah Rajabzadeh, Former Tehran Police Chief (until January 2010)
12. Hossein Sajedinia, Tehran Police Commander
13. Hossein Taeb, former Basij Commander, Deputy IRGC Commander, and Head of the IRGC’s Intelligence Unit
14. Seyed Hassan Shariati, Head of Mashad’s Judiciary
15. Ghorbanali Dorri Najafabadi, former Prosecutor General (until September 2009)
16. Hassan Zare Dehnavi, also known as Haddad, Judge, Branch 26 of Tehran Revolutionary Court
17. Hojat-ol-eslam Mohammad Soltani, Judge, Mashad Revolutionary Court
18. Ali Akbar Heydarifar, Judge, Revolutionary Court
19. Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, Tehran Prosecutor
20. Mohammad Moghisseh, Judge, Tehran Revolutionary Court
21. Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi, Prosecutor General since September 2009 and Spokesperson for the Judiciary, Minister of Intelligence during the 2009 election.
22. Saeed Mortazavi, Tehran Prosecutor during the 2009 election
23. Abbas Pirabbasi, Judge, Branches 26 and 28 of Tehran Revolutionary Court
24. Amir Mortazavi, Deputy Prosecutor of Mashad
25. Abolghassem Salavati, Judge, Branch 15 of Tehran Revolutionary Court
26. Malek Ashtar Sharifi, Head of Judiciary in East Azarbaijan
27. Ahmad Zargar, Appeals Court Judge
28. Ali Akbar Yasseghi, Judge, Revolutionary Court
29. Mostafa Bozorgnia, Warden, Evin Prison’s Ward 350
30. Gholamhossein Ismaili, Head of Prisons Organizations
31. Farajollah Sedaghat, Deputy Head of Tehran Prisons Organization
32. Mohammad Ali Zanjirehei, an authority with the Prisons Organization
