EU extends Iran sanctions to judges, clerical council

BRUSSELS: European ministers agreed on Monday to add eight Iranians and one of the Tehran government´s most powerful bodies to EU sanctions lists, alleging human rights violations.

The individuals -- including clerics, judges and a broadcaster -- are accused of playing leading roles in Iran´s brutal crackdown on anti-government protests. The EU said it was in particular “sanctioning members of the judiciary responsible for handing down death sentences in unfair trials and for the torturing of convicts”.

The government institution, the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, was said to have “promoted several projects undermining the freedom of girls and women and discriminating against minorities”.

Brussels´ latest listings bring to around 150 the number of individuals, companies and agencies targeted by EU asset freezes and travel bans over the crackdown. Europe made the decision as UN expert Javaid Rehman told the United Nations Human Rights Councils that Iran´s actions in the six months since protests erupted could amount to crimes against humanity.