EU Imposed New Pack of Sanctions Over Human Rights Charges

The European Union on Monday imposed its eighth package of sanctions against five Iranian individuals and two institutions on charges of violating human rights. 
The new sanctions target three members of the police force, including commander of the Tehran Police Relief Unit, Salman Adinevand, spokesman of the Iranian Police, Saeed Montazer al-Mahdi and Deputy Security Police Chief for Supervision over Public Facilities and Locations, Nader Moradi. 
Secretary of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace of Iran, Mohammad Amin Aqamiri, and Prosecutor of Sirjan County, Mohsen Nikvarz, were also among the sanctioned individuals, according to ISNA. 
Furthermore, the EU Council is listing the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps’ Cooperative Foundation, which is the body responsible for managing the military force’s investments, as well as the Student Basij Organization. 
Restrictive measures now apply to a total of 216 individuals and 37 entities, according to the EU Council’s website. 
They consist of an asset freeze, a travel ban to the EU and a prohibition to make funds or economic resources available to those listed. 
A ban on exports to Iran of equipment which might be used for alleged internal repression and of equipment for monitoring telecommunications is also in place, the bloc said in a statement. 
The EU repeated its interventionist remarks, calling on Iran to end the practice of imposing and carrying out death sentences against people they called protesters, reverse the death penalty sentences pronounced, as well as provide due process to all detainees.
“The EU also calls upon Iran to end the distressing practice of detaining foreign civilians with a view to making political gains,” they said in fresh allegations. 
The new wave of pressure comes after three men convicted of murdering law enforcement officers and Basiji volunteer forces during last year’s unrest were executed in the central city of Isfahan, which drew strong condemnation from the EU and the United States. 
Iran had earlier criticized the West for using human rights as a tool to advance its illegitimate political objectives.
“Europe and the US do not possess the legal, judicial or moral authority to comment on judicial and human rights’ topics of other countries,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani had said. 
He added that it was “absolutely absurd” that nations with long-standing records in violating human rights commented on the internal affairs of Iran.