The US put Iran’s morality police on its sanctions blacklist on Thursday, following the death in custody of Mehsa Amini, a 22-year-old who was allegedly arrested for wearing a hijab.
The U.S. Treasury Department said the morality police were “responsible” for Amini’s death, sparking public outrage, as it imposed sanctions for abuse and violence against Iranian women and rights violations of peaceful Iranian protesters. announced.
The sanctions move comes as violent protests erupted across Iran last week following the killing of Iranian-Kurdish Amini, who was arrested by the national police’s Public Morals Unit.
“Mohsa Amini was a courageous woman whose death in moral police custody was yet another atrocity by Iranian government security forces against their own people,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.
“We condemn this irresponsible act in the strongest possible terms and call on the Iranian government to end its violence against women and its ongoing violent crackdown on freedom of speech and assembly,” Yellen said in a statement. “
According to an official count, at least 17 people have been killed in unrest since Amini’s death as women burned their headscarves and protesters denounced government leadership and restrictions on women.
Iran Human Rights, an Oslo-based non-governmental group, said at least 31 civilians had been killed in six nights of violence.
The Ministry of Finance also imposed sanctions on Moral Police Chief Mohammad Rostami Chashma Gachi, Moral Police Tehran Division Chief Haj Ahmed Mirzai and five other top security officials involved in the repression of protesters.
It said Rostami announced earlier this year that women would be punished for refusing to wear the hijab.
“The Iranian government needs to end its systematic persecution of women and allow peaceful protests,” US Secretary of State Anthony Blanken said.
“The United States will continue our support for human rights in Iran and hold accountable those who violate them,” he said in a statement.
Treasury sanctions are intended to freeze any assets that may be designated under US jurisdiction and prohibit any US persons or companies – including international banks with US operations – from doing business with them, globally. effectively restricting their access to financial networks.
