Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2023/646 of 20 March 2023 implementing Decision 2011/235/CFSP concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Iran

20.3.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 80 I/7 DECISIONS COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING DECISION (CFSP) 2023/646 of 20 March 2023 implementing Decision 2011/235/CFSP concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Iran THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 31(2) thereof, Having regard to Council Decision 2011/235/CFSP of 12 April 2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Iran(1), and in particular Article 3(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Whereas: (1) On 12 April 2011, the Council adopted Decision 2011/235/CFSP. (2) On 25 September 2022, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy issued a declaration on behalf of the Union deploring the widespread and disproportionate use of force by the Iranian security forces against non-violent protestors, noting that it had resulted in the loss of lives as well as a large number of injuries. The declaration also spelled out that those responsible for the killing of Mahsa Amini must be held accountable, and called on the Iranian authorities to ensure transparent and credible investigations to clarify the number of deaths and arrests, to release all non-violent protestors and to provide due process to all detainees. Furthermore, the declaration stressed that Iran’s decision to severely restrict internet access and block instant messaging platforms blatantly violates freedom of expression. Finally, the declaration stated that the Union will consider all the options at its disposal to address the killing of Mahsa Amini and the way Iranian security forces have responded to the ensuing demonstrations. (3) In this context, and in line with the Union’s commitment to address all issues of concern with Iran, including the human rights situation, as confirmed in the Council conclusions of 12 December 2022, eight persons and one entity should be included in the list of persons and entities subject to restrictive measures set out in the Annex to Decision 2011/235/CFSP. (4) Decision 2011/235/CFSP should therefore be amended accordingly, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 The Annex to Decision 2011/235/CFSP is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision. Article 2 This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. (1) OJ L 100, 14.4.2011, p. 51.L 80 I/8 EN Official Journal of the European Union 20.3.2023 Done at Brussels, 20 March 2023. For the Council The President J. BORRELL FONTELLESANNEX The following persons and entity are added to the list of persons and entities set out in the Annex to Decision 2011/235/CFSP: Persons Name Identifying information Reasons Date of listing ‘206. KHOSROU PANAH Abdol Hossein DOB: 21.3.1966 Abdol Hossein Khosrou Panah is a conservative cleric and has been 20.3.2023 the chairman and secretary of the Supreme Council of Cultural ﻩﺎﻨﭘﻭﺮﺴﺧﻦﯿﺴﺤﻟﺍﺪﺒﻋ POB: Dezful, Iran Revolution since January 2023. a.k.a. KHOSROW PANAH Abdul Nationality: Iranian The Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution promoted several Hossein; KHOSROPANAH Gender: male projects undermining the freedom of girls and women, setting limits Abdolhossein on their clothing and education. Its laws have also discriminated Function: chairman and secretary of the minorities, such as the Baha’i. It is a vehicle for promoting the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution current regime’s policies and Islamist opinions. Associated entity: Supreme Council of Cultural As chairman and secretary of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution Revolution, Khosrou Panah is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran. 207. ALAM-AL HODA Ahmad DOB: 31.8.1944 Ahmad Alam-Al Hoda is the Friday imam of Mashhad and 20.3.2023 representative of Khorasan Razavi province in the Assembly of ﯼﺪﻬﻟﺍﻢﻠﻋﺪﻤﺣﺍ POB: Mashhad, Iran Experts. Nationality: Iranian In his speeches and in the media, he participates in the propagation Gender: male of hate against women, demonstrators and religious minorities. Function: Friday imam of Mashhad and Alam-Al Hoda is therefore responsible for serious human rights representative of Khorasan Razavi province in violations in Iran. the Assembly of Experts 208. RASTINEH Ahmad DOB: 1980 Ahmad Rastineh is a Member of the Iranian Parliament (Madjles) and 20.3.2023 its spokesman for the cultural commission. The cultural commission ﻪﻨﯿﺘﺳﺍﺭﺪﻤﺣﺍ POB: province of Bakhtiari, Iran has a supervisory position to control and supervise the institutions Nationality: Iranian in charge of ‘spreading the culture of chastity and hijab’. Gender: male Rastineh promotes a hard-line version of the Islamic revolution’s cultural principles, particularly concerning women, and the wearing Function: Member of Parliament and spokesman of the veil/hijab. During the 2022/2023 protests in Iran, he called for for the Parliament’s cultural commission. an affirmation of the law imposing the veil on Iranian women. He also supported the government’s control over the internet and internet-cuts. He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran. 20.3.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 80 I/9Name Identifying information Reasons Date of listing 209. KHAN MOHAMMADI Hodjatoleslam Nationality: Iranian Hodjatoleslam Ali Khan Mohammadi is the spokesman of the 20.3.2023 Ali EU-listed Headquarters for Enjoining Right and Forbidding Evil. Gender: male ﯼﺪﻤﺤﻣﻥﺎﺧﯽﻠﻋﻡﻼﺳﻻﺍﺖﺠﺣ In 2022 and 2023, in his position as spokesman of the Headquarters Function: spokesman of the Headquarters for for Enjoining Right and Forbidding Evil, he qualified the non- Enjoining Right and Forbidding Evil wearing of the hijab as a crime and promoted a hard-line version of the Islamic revolution’s cultural principles, particularly concerning women, and the wearing of the veil/hijab. Acting in his position, he expressed his support for and contributed to legitimising the repression of anti-hijab activists, undermining women and girls’ rights and freedoms. He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran. 210. AKBARI Mohammad Sadegh Nationality: Iranian Mohammad Sadegh Akbari is the chief justice of Mazandaran 20.3.2023 province. ﯼﺮﺒﮐﺍﻕﺩﺎﺻﺪﻤﺤﻣ Gender: male In this position, he is responsible for handing down death sentences Function: chief justice of Mazandaran province in unfair trials (absence of lawyers, coerced confessions) and for the torturing of convicts. During the 2022/2023 protests, he was responsible for shutting down shops that did not respect the hijab laws and for sentencing to death a 35-year old mentally ill protester who allegedly burned the Quran. He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran. 211. BARATI Morteza DOB: 30.11.1962 Morteza Barati is the presiding judge of branch 1 of the 20.3.2023 Revolutionary Courts of Isfahan. ﯽﺗﺍﺮﺑﯽﻀﺗﺮﻣ Nationality: Iranian In January 2023, he sentenced to death by hanging at least three a.k.a. BARATI Qazi Gender: male protestors, denying them the right to a fair trial. Function: presiding judge of branch 1 of the He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Revolutionary Courts of Isfahan Iran. L 80 I/10 EN Official Journal of the European Union 20.3.2023Name Identifying information Reasons Date of listing 212. AL HOSSEINI Musa Asif Nationality: Iranian Musa Asif Al Hosseini is the head judge of branch 1 of the 20.3.2023 Revolutionary Courts of Karaj, Alborz province. ﯽﻨﯿﺴﺤﻟﺍﻒﺻﺁﯽﺳﻮﻣ Gender: male Trials under his supervision have been conducted summarily, a.k.a AL-HOSSEINI Asef Function: head judge of branch 1 of the without adherence to basic rights of the accused and with reliance on Revolutionary Courts of Karaj, Alborz province confessions extracted under pressure and torture. During the 2022/2023 protests, he presided over the trials of protestors and issued several death sentences, two of which were carried out against Mohammed Karami and Mohammed Hosseini. He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran. 213. JALILI Vahid DOB: 1973 Vahid Jalili is the chief for cultural affairs and policy evolution at the 20.3.2023’ EU-listed Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB). ﯽﻠﯿﻠﺟﺪﯿﺣﻭ Nationality: Iranian During the 2022/2023 protests, IRIB broadcasted forced Gender: male confessions from foreign hostages. Due to his senior position at IRIB, Function: chief for cultural affairs and policy Jalili is directly involved in undermining the human rights of foreign evolution at Islamic Republic of Iran hostages and in their inhuman treatment. He is also responsible for Broadcasting (IRIB) sharing propaganda confessions supporting the regime. He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran. Entities Name Identifying information Reasons Date of listing ‘34. Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution Associated individual: KHOSROU PANAH The Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution is a regime policy body 20.3.2023’ Abdol Hossein (chairman and secretary) responsible for preparing and formulating strategic policies and plans in the fields of science, education, religion and research. It promoted several projects undermining the freedom of girls and women, setting limits on their clothing and education. Its decisions have also discriminated against minorities, such as the Baha’i. It is a vehicle for promoting the current regime’s policies. The Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran. 20.3.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 80 I/11