Washington, DC, March 8, 2018 – The Representative in the United States for the National Council of Resistance of Iran, Ms. Soona Samsami, urged the U.S. Government to designate Iranian regime officials involved in human rights violations.
Since the beginning of the uprising on December 28, 2017, at least 8,000 protesters have been arrested and over 50 killed, including at least 14 individuals tortured to death.
The officials responsible for the current atrocities have a long history of human rights violations, including the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners, mostly members of the main Iranian opposition movement, the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK/PMOI).
In July 2017, the U.S. President signed into law an Act (Countering Iran’s Destabilizing
Activities Act of 2017) that called for the “Imposition of additional sanctions with respect to persons responsible for human rights abuses” in Iran, and noted that these sanctions would extend to “those responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights committed against individuals in Iran” who seek “(A) to expose illegal activity carried out by officials of the Government of Iran; or (B) to obtain, exercise, defend, or promote internationally recognized human rights and freedoms, such as the freedoms of religion, expression, association, and assembly…”
The Iranian regime’s suppression during the recent uprising warrants a response from the United States as outlined in this law.
Those who warrant designation by the U.S. Government for being responsible for human rights abuses, include, but not limited, to the following individuals:
1. Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Hosseini KHAMENEI
2. President Hassan ROUHANI
3. Justice Minister Alireza AVAEI (AVAYI/Avaee)
4. Rear Admiral Ali SHAMKHANI
5. Commander of State Security Forces Hossein ASHTARI
6. General Prosecutor Mohammad MONTAZERI
7. Minister of Communication and Information Technology Mohammad Javad Azari JAHROMI
8. IRGC Commander of Cyber Security Ali FATEH
9. Secretary of Iranian Supreme Cyberspace Council Abolhassan FIROOZABADI
10. Advisor to the Judiciary and former Justice Minister Mostafa POURMOHAMMADI
11. Commander of Sarollah Garrison in Tehran Mohammad Esmail KOSARI
12. IRGC Commander of Isfahan Province Gholamreza SOLEIMANI
13. General Prosecutor of Isfahan Province Hassan RAHIMI
14. IRGC Commander of Khuzestan Province Hassan SHAHVARPOOR
15. IRGC Commander of Hamedan Province Mazaher MAJIDI
16. IRGC Commander of Lorestan Province Morteza KASHKOULI
17. IRGC Commander of Passive Defense Forces Gholamreza JALALI
18. Head of Astan-e Qods Razavi Endowment Foundation Ebrahim Raisi
19. Supreme Court Vice President Hossein Ali NAYYERI
20. Supreme Court judge Ali MOBASHERI
21. Head of the 41st branch of the Supreme Court Ali RAZINI
22. Head of Branch 28 of the Tehran Islamic Revolutionary Court Mohammad MOGHISEH
23. Association of Combatant Clergy member Mohammad MOUSSAVI KHOEINIHA
24. Head of Qom Seminary Morteza MOQTADAEE
25. Association of Combatant Clergy member Seyyed Mohammad MOUSSAVI BOJNOURDI
26. Assembly of Experts member Mohammad Mohammadi REYSHAHRI
27. State Expediency Council member Ali FALLAHIAN
28. Former Tehran’s Prosecutor Morteza ESHRAQI
29. Former Justice Minister Mohammad Esmail SHUSHTARI
30. State Expediency Council member Majid ANSARI
31. Minister of Labor Ali RABIEI
32. Former Justice Minister Seyed Morteza BAKHTIARI
33. Deputy Head of Shah Abdul-Azim Endowment Javad ALI-AKBARIAN
