THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:00 PM CET
EU Imposes Further Sanctions on Iran for Human Rights Violations
BRUSSELS, March 20 (Reuters) – The European Union on Monday imposed a new package of sanctions against Iran, its sixth, in response to human rights violations, adding eight individuals and one entity to its list.
“In particular, the Council is sanctioning members of the judiciary responsible for handing down death sentences in unfair trials, and for the torturing of convicts,” the EU said in a statement.
In total, EU sanctions now apply to 204 individuals and 34 entities in Iran.
UPDATE: 7:30 PM CET
Prison Guards in Karaj Raided Political Prisoner’s Ward
On Sunday morning, March 19, the guards of Karaj Central Prison raided Ward 7, attacking political prisoners. According to reports from inside the prison, guards beat the political prisoner Mohammad Hosseini, injuring him severely in the head. After destroying the Haft Sin table, a traditional decoration associated with the Persian new year which was made with the least of possible features available in a prison, the guards also tore the books of Mr. Hosseini.
The commander of the Karaj Central Prison, a hoodlum named Mehrani has reportedly been involved in the torture and abuse of prisoners and has beaten them many times under various pretexts.
Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Situation in Iran Condemned Latest Crackdown of Protests
Today, March 20, at the 52nd session of the Human Rights Council, Javaid Rehman, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran presented his statement on the latest developments of human rights violations inside Iran. The statement reads in part: “The legitimate claims of Iranian peoples of all ages, genders, ethnic, linguistic, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds, for an end to the serious human rights violations, including gender-based violence and discrimination, and their aspiration to a democratic and secular system of governance were met with brutal State violence.
Security forces have fired live ammunition, birdshot, and other metal pellets directly at unarmed and peaceful protesters, among them many children and youth who posed no imminent threat to life or serious injury, as well as at bystanders and those who were running away. Protesters including children were beaten to death. At least 527 people, including 71 children were killed, and hundreds of protesters were severely injured. Dozens have lost their eyes because of direct shots to the head. Iranian doctors have also reported women and girls participating in protests were targeted with shotgun fire to their faces, breasts, and genitals.”
UPDATE: 1:00 PM CET
Britain Imposes Sanctions on Iranian Revolutionary Guard Officials
LONDON, March 20 (Reuters) – Britain on Monday sanctioned senior officials from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including those who it said were responsible for managing the group’s financial investments.
Britain, along with the European Union and the United States, has in recent months issued several waves of sanctions against Iran, citing a widespread and often violent crackdown on protests after the death of young Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in morality police custody in September.
The protests mark one of the boldest challenges to the ruling theocracy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran accuses Western powers of fomenting the unrest, which security forces have met with deadly violence.
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Iran Is Welcoming Nowruz With Further Anti-regime Protests
Iran’s nationwide uprising is witnessing its 185th day with more protests reported by people from different strata demanding their rights from the ruling mullahs’ regime. The dictatorship’s disastrous economic policies have left many across the country in extreme conditions and unable to make ends meet. This has led to continuous gatherings and rallies by Iranians demanding better living conditions and adequate work that provides decent pay for them and their families.
People throughout the country are specifically holding the mullahs’ Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei responsible for their miseries, while also condemning the oppressive the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and paramilitary Basij units, alongside other security units that are on the ground suppressing the peaceful demonstrators.
Deliberate Poisoning of School Girls in Iran Is Further Evidence of Continuous Violence Against Women and Girls
GENEVA (16 March 2023) – UN experts today expressed outrage at the deliberate poisoning of more than 1200 schoolgirls in Iran’s major cities and the State’s failure to protect them, prevent further attacks and conduct swift investigations.
“The first reported poisoning of schoolgirls in Iran occurred on 30 November 2022, in the city of Qom. Since then, targeted chemical attacks against girls’ schools have been reported in 91 schools located in 20 provinces across Iran,” the experts said.
Gas Crisis in Europe in 2023- Why Iran Could Not Fill the Void of Russian Gas?
Iran has the second-largest gas reserves in the world after Russia. Iran’s gas reserves are 30% more than Qatar, 5 times more than the US, and 23 times more than Norway’s.
With such vast gas reserves, Iran should be one of the main players in natural gas production in the world. Moreover, with such a massive gas capital, Iranians should not have any difficulty consuming gas inside the country. Gas should reach Iranian people at the cheapest price and easiest way, and its export should be one of the main sources of foreign exchange.
Targeted Sanctions in Response to Human Rights Violations in Iran and Iranian Support for Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
The Australian Government is imposing Magnitsky-style targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on a further 14 individuals and targeted financial sanctions on 14 Iranian entities responsible for egregious human rights abuses and violations in Iran.
Among those subject to Magnitsky-style human rights sanctions are four members of the Morality Police who were responsible for the arrest, detention and ill-treatment of Mahsa ‘Jina’ Amini.
Sanctioned targets also include senior law enforcement, political and military figures, including within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, involved in the violent crackdown on protests following the death of Ms. Amini and the continued oppression of the people of Iran.
Also, read Iran News in Brief – March 19, 2023
