(Ottawa) Canada has imposed sanctions on 25 senior Iranian officials and nine government agencies in protest at the crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran.
Posted at 11:17 am
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said in a statement Monday the sanctions aimed to expose “the Iranian regime’s ongoing and systemic persecution of Iranian women,” “human rights abuses” and “blatant disregard for human life.”
Thousands of Iranian men and women took to the streets after Mahsa Amini’s death in mid-September. The 22-year-old died two days after she was arrested by Iran’s “morality police” for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly.
Amnesty International says it has identified 52 people killed in Iran in the crackdown on protests that erupted two weeks ago.
Canadian sanctions announced Monday target senior deputy police officers; members of the General Staff of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; Evin Prison, which houses political prisoners; and the Minister of Intelligence and Security.
Canadian sanctions freeze all assets of these individuals and entities in Canada and bar individuals from entering Canada.
“Canada salutes the courage and actions of the Iranian people and will support them in their struggle for their rights and dignity,” Minister Joly wrote in the press release.