Iran Special: The 17 Leading Officials in New EU Sanctions for Human Rights Abuses
Sunday, March 25, 2012 at 8:52
Head of Judiciary Sadegh LarijaniOn Friday, the Council of the European Union adopted new measures prohibiting the "[sale], supply, transfer or export, directly or indirectly, [of] equipment which might be used for internal repression...to any person, entity or body in Iran or for use in Iran".
The Council also added 17 prominent regime officials to its list of persons --- now with 78 names --- sanctioned for their role in human rights abuses. The most prominent additions are the head of judiciary, Sadegh Larijani; Presidential advisor Saeed Mortazavi, infamous for his alleged role in the abuses and killings at Kahrizak detention centre in summer 2009; the Minister of Communications, Reza Taghipour; the Supreme Leader's representative to the armed forces, Ali Saeedi; and the head of State broadcaster IRIB, Ezzatollah Zarghami. It also includes officials involved in the death sentences for Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, condemned for adultery, and Pastor Yousuf Nadarkhani, punished for "apostasy" because of his conversion to Christianity.
1. ZARGHAMI Ezzatollah
As Head of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), he is responsible for all programming decisions. IRIB has broadcast forced confessions of detainees and a series of "show trials" in August 2009 and December 2011. These constitute a clear violation of international provisions on fair trial and the right to due process.