EU sanctions Iranian judges over persecution of dissidents, religious minorities

The EU on Friday imposed sanctions on five Iranian judges accused of serious human rights violations, including the persecution of political dissidents and religious minorities.

The judges serve in Iran’s regional Revolutionary Courts and have presided over trials involving dissidents, activists, and members of religious minorities, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, the Council of the EU said in a statement.

The cases were based on “vaguely defined national security and religious charges,” according to the council.

The judges imposed death sentences, lengthy prison terms, flogging, fines and additional punishments on political dissidents and human rights activists, including over their involvement in the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests that erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini.

“While the world’s attention is on the war in the Middle East, we can’t lose sight of Iran’s repression against its own people,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on US social media company X.

“As Tehran intensifies its domestic crackdown, the EU will continue to hold those responsible to account,” she added.

The bloc also sanctioned Iranian hacker and computer engineer Nima Salehi, the founder and a leading figure of the Ashiyane cyber group.

According to the council, the group cooperates closely with Iran’s EU-listed Cyber Police, known as FATA, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It allegedly carried out intensive cyberattacks against domestic opponents, reformists, and foreign institutions, helping the authorities suppress opposition.

With the latest designations, the EU’s Iran human rights sanctions now cover 269 individuals and 53 entities.

The measures include asset freezes, travel bans within the EU, and a prohibition on providing funds or economic resources to those listed.

The bloc also maintains a ban on exporting equipment to Iran that could be used for internal repression or telecommunications surveillance.