EU, UK sanction Iran, Taliban entities on International Women's Day
Marking International Women’s Day, the European Union and the British government each decided to sanction individuals and entities for violating human rights, particularly sexual and gender-based violence.
PARIS — British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced a new package of sanctions against human rights violators Wednesday, targeting those who harm women and girls in Iran, Syria, Afghanistan and other countries.
The Iranian entity sanctioned by the British government is the Headquarters for Enjoining Right and Forbidding Evil in Iran, a special government apparatus tasked to enforce "morality standards". Its chief Seyyed Mohammed Saleh Hashemi Golpayegani is responsible for the enforcement of dress codes for women.
The new sanctions package also includes military personnel who have overseen rape and other forms of gender-based violence in conflicts in Syria, South Sudan and the Central African Republic. A statement by the British Foreign Ministry read that the package also goes after government institutions in Iran responsible for enforcing mandatory dress codes for women with unreasonable force.
One of the four individuals sanctioned is Syrian Amjad Youssef, who has been involved in repressing the civilian population in his country, including through systematic rape and killing of civilians. The United States slapped a visa ban on Youssef this week.
