Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/645 of 20 March 2023 implementing Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Iran

20.3.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 80 I/1 II (Non-legislative acts) REGULATIONS COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2023/645 of 20 March 2023 implementing Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Iran THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 of 12 April 2011concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Iran(1), and in particular Article 12(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 Regulation (EU) No 359/2011. (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 natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures set out in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 359/2011. (4) Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 should therefore be amended accordingly, (1) OJ L 100, 14.4.2011, p. 1.L 80 I/2 EN Official Journal of the European Union 20.3.2023 HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation. Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. 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 natural and legal persons, entities and bodies set out in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 359/2011: 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 the 20.3.2023 chairman and secretary of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution since ﻩﺎﻨﭘﻭﺮﺴﺧﻦﯿﺴﺤﻟﺍﺪﺒﻋ POB: Dezful, Iran January 2023. a.k.a. KHOSROW PANAH Abdul Nationality: Iranian The Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution promoted several projects Hossein; KHOSROPANAH Gender: male undermining the freedom of girls and women, setting limits on their clothing Abdolhossein and education. Its laws have also discriminated minorities, such as the Baha’i. It Function: chairman and secretary of the is a vehicle for promoting the current regime’s policies and Islamist opinions. Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution As chairman and secretary of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, Associated entity: Supreme Council of Khosrou Panah is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Cultural Revolution Iran. 207. ALAM-AL HODA Ahmad DOB: 31.8.1944 Ahmad Alam-Al Hoda is the Friday imam of Mashhad and representative of 20.3.2023 Khorasan Razavi province in the Assembly of Experts. ﯼﺪﻬﻟﺍﻢﻠﻋﺪﻤﺣﺍ POB: Mashhad, Iran In his speeches and in the media, he participates in the propagation of hate Nationality: Iranian against women, demonstrators and religious minorities. Gender: male Alam-Al Hoda is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Function: Friday imam of Mashhad and Iran. representative of Khorasan Razavi province in the Assembly of Experts 20.3.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 80 I/3Name Identifying information Reasons Date of listing 208. RASTINEH Ahmad DOB: 1980 Ahmad Rastineh is a Member of the Iranian Parliament (Madjles) and its 20.3.2023 spokesman for the cultural commission. The cultural commission has a ﻪﻨﯿﺘﺳﺍﺭﺪﻤﺣﺍ POB: province of Bakhtiari, Iran supervisory position to control and supervise the institutions in charge of Nationality: Iranian ‘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 of the veil/hijab. Function: Member of Parliament and During the 2022/2023 protests in Iran, he called for an affirmation of the law spokesman for the Parliament’s cultural imposing the veil on Iranian women. He also supported the government’s commission. control over the internet and internet-cuts. He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran. 209. KHAN MOHAMMADI Nationality: Iranian Hodjatoleslam Ali Khan Mohammadi is the spokesman of the EU-listed 20.3.2023 Hodjatoleslam Ali Headquarters for Enjoining Right and Forbidding Evil. Gender: male ﯼﺪﻤﺤﻣﻥﺎﺧﯽﻠﻋﻡﻼﺳﻻﺍﺖﺠﺣ In 2022 and 2023, in his position as spokesman of the Headquarters for Function: spokesman of the Headquarters for Enjoining Right and Forbidding Evil, he qualified the non-wearing of the hijab Enjoining Right and Forbidding Evil 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. L 80 I/4 EN Official Journal of the European Union 20.3.2023Name Identifying information Reasons Date of listing 210. AKBARI Mohammad Sadegh Nationality: Iranian Mohammad Sadegh Akbari is the chief justice of Mazandaran province. 20.3.2023 ﯼﺮﺒﮐﺍﻕﺩﺎﺻﺪﻤﺤﻣ Gender: male In this position, he is responsible for handing down death sentences in unfair trials (absence of lawyers, coerced confessions) and for the torturing of Function: chief justice of Mazandaran convicts. During the 2022/2023 protests, he was responsible for shutting down province 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 Revolutionary Courts of 20.3.2023 Isfahan. ﯽﺗﺍﺮﺑﯽﻀﺗﺮﻣ Nationality: Iranian In January 2023, he sentenced to death by hanging at least three protestors, a.k.a. BARATI Qazi Gender: male 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 Iran. Revolutionary Courts of Isfahan 212. AL HOSSEINI Musa Asif Nationality: Iranian Musa Asif Al Hosseini is the head judge of branch 1 of the Revolutionary Courts 20.3.2023 of Karaj, Alborz province. ﯽﻨﯿﺴﺤﻟﺍﻒﺻﺁﯽﺳﻮﻣ Gender: male Trials under his supervision have been conducted summarily, without a.k.a AL-HOSSEINI Asef Function: head judge of branch 1 of the adherence to basic rights of the accused and with reliance on confessions Revolutionary Courts of Karaj, Alborz extracted under pressure and torture. During the 2022/2023 protests, he province 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. 20.3.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 80 I/5Name Identifying information Reasons Date of listing 213. JALILI Vahid DOB: 1973 Vahid Jalili is the chief for cultural affairs and policy evolution at the EU-listed 20.3.2023’ Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB). ﯽﻠﯿﻠﺟﺪﯿﺣﻭ Nationality: Iranian During the 2022/2023 protests, IRIB broadcasted forced confessions from Gender: male foreign hostages. Due to his senior position at IRIB, Jalili is directly involved in Function: chief for cultural affairs and policy undermining the human rights of foreign hostages and in their inhuman evolution at Islamic Republic of Iran treatment. He is also responsible for sharing propaganda confessions Broadcasting (IRIB) 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 Associated individual: KHOSROU PANAH The Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution is a regime policy body 20.3.2023’ Revolution 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. L 80 I/6 EN Official Journal of the European Union 20.3.2023