- Iranian Chargé d’Affaires told
threats to media freedom will not be tolerated following
intimidation of Iran International in the UK.
- Separately, new UK sanctions
imposed on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members,
including the commander of province in which security forces have
severely injured and killed children.
- Three senior judges also sanctioned
for imposing death penalties on protestors in Iran.
The Foreign Secretary today instructed FCDO officials to summon
Iran’s most senior diplomat, due to serious threats against
journalists living in the UK.
It follows the decision at the weekend by Iran International, a
London-based TV network, to suspend UK operations as a result of
continued threats to its staff by the Iranian regime.
Vijay Rangarajan, Director
General for the Middle East, held the meeting with Iranian
Chargé d’Affaires Mehdi Hosseini Matin to make clear the UK will
not tolerate threats to life and media freedom.
As part of wider efforts to hold the regime to account over its
behaviour globally, the UK and international partners have also
today imposed further sanctions on eight senior Iranian figures
responsible for repressing their own people.
They include three judges who imposed the death penalty against
protestors and five IRGC commanders.
Foreign Secretary said:
“The UK will always stand up to countries who threaten our
fundamental values of freedom of expression and the
media.
“I am appalled by the Iranian regime’s continuing
threats to the lives of UK-based journalists and have
today summoned its representative to make clear this will not be
tolerated.
“As part of wider efforts to hold Iran to account, the UK has
today also sanctioned a further eight individuals responsible for
horrific human rights violations in Iran, including the killing
of children. We will never allow the regime’s threats to go
unchallenged.”
The individuals sanctioned today include:
-
Mohammad Taghi Osanloo: An IRGC Ground
Forces Commander in West Azerbaijan and Kurdistan where
children are among those who have been killed during the
protests. Video footage showed that a 10-year-old was severely
injured after being shot by IRGC forces on 26
September.
-
Mohammad Karami: When referring to
peaceful protestors, Karami pledged to “wreak vengeance on the
terrorist groups” while he was an IRGC Ground Forces Commander
in Sistan and Baluchestan province where over 80 protestors and
bystanders were killed in September 2022.
-
Musa Asif Al-Hosseini: Issued death
penalties to Mohammed Karami and Mohammed Hosseini, who were
executed in January 2023 despite trials which reportedly relied
on forced confessions.
-
Morteza Barati: As part of the “Isfahan
House case” in January 2023, he is reported to have sentenced
Saleh Mirhashmi, Majid Kazemi and Saeed Yaqoubi Kurdsafli to
death. It was reported that Barati did not allow the presence
of appointed counsel during the trial and that Kazemi was
subjected to torture.
Since Mahsa Amini’s death in September 2022, the UK has imposed
sanctions on more than 50 Iranian individuals and entities in
response to human rights violations by the regime.
These sanctions constitute an asset freeze and UK travel ban on
the individuals concerned and send a wider signal on the UK’s
commitment to backing condemnation with action.
--ENDS--
NOTES TO EDITORS:
The full list of those sanctioned includes:
- Musa Asif al-Hosseini, Presiding
Judge of Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Courts of Karaj (Alborz
Province)
- Hadi Mansouri, Presiding Judge of
Branch 4 of the Revolutionary Courts of Mashhad
- Morteza Barati, Presiding Judge of
Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Courts of Isfahan
- Mohammad Taghi Osanloo, IRGC Ground
Forces Commander (Hamzeh Sayyid al-Shohada headquarters in
North-Western Iran)
- Parviz Absalan, IRGC Deputy
Commander Sistan and Baluchistan (Salman Corps)
- Amanollah Garshasbi, Deputy
Commander of the IRGC for Sistan and Baluchistan Province
- Mohammad Karami, Governor of Sistan
and Baluchestan Province
- Hassan Asgari, Governor of
Sanandaj
