The US has sanctioned five Iranian officials for violating women’s rights and blocking the internet

The United States on Wednesday announced sanctions against five Iranians, including two senior prison officials accused of violating the human rights of women prisoners and an official allegedly responsible for blocking internet access in the country.

The purpose of sanctions, in the International Women’s Dayare highlight the human rights “abuses” committed by the Iranian regime, in particular against women and girls, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

Blinken made special mention of the abuses committed against Iranian women during the wave of protests that followed the young woman’s death in September last year. Mahsa Aminiwho was arrested for not wearing the wrong flight and died soon after in police custody.

The sanctioned are the director general of the northern province of Alborz, Ali Chaharmahaliand the head of the city of Urmia, Dariush Bakhshithat Washington considers “accomplices” in the mistreatment of prisoners, including torture, rape and other cruel and inhuman treatment.

Another of those sanctioned is Mahdi Amiria senior official of the specialized cyberspace unit of the Attorney General’s office and whom Washington accuses of participating in activities aimed at block internet access and censor certain contentdetailed the State Department.

In addition, the United States sanctioned the Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Republic Army, the General Abdul Rahim Moussaviand the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in West Azerbaijan Province (northwest), Habib Chahsavari.

Both were disciplined for their role in the repression of demonstrations for Amini’s death.

The death of this 22-year-old Kurd has sparked the biggest protest in decades against the Islamic Republic, led by young people crying “woman, life, freedom”, who almost disappeared after a crackdown that left some 500 people dead and where four demonstrators were hanged.

In his statement, Blinken said that Washington remains concerned about the actions of Iranian authorities for using violence to quell these peaceful protests. “The United States remains deeply concerned that Iranian authorities continue to suppress dissent and peaceful protest, including through mass arrests, show trials, hasty executions, detention of journalists, and use of violence. sex as a means of suppressing protests,” he added. said, you can read in the letter.

He also stressed that they continue to take action “to support the people of Iran against these and other human rights abuses,” together “with allies and partners around the world.”

(With information from EFE)

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