Iranwire – The Australian government has sanctioned 27 individuals and 15 entities over “egregious” human rights violations in Iran and Iranian support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Australia has joined the European Union, the United States and other countries in issuing several waves of sanctions against the Islamic Republic in recent months over a bloody crackdown on nationwide protesters triggered by the September 2022 death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody.
A growing list of Iranian individuals and entities are also facing financial sanctions and travel bans for their involvement in the production and supply of drones used by Russian armed forces to target Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement on March 20 that those subject to human rights sanctions now include four members of the “morality police” who were “responsible for the arrest, detention and ill-treatment” of Amini.
Sanctioned targets also include senior law enforcement, political and military figures involved in the “violent crackdown” on protests and the “continued oppression” of the Iranian people.
Iranian security forces have responded to the women-led protest movement with brutal force, killing more than 520 demonstrators and unlawfully detaining over 20,000, activists say. Following biased trials, the judiciary has handed down stiff sentences, including the death penalty, to protesters.