The UK on Monday sanctioned 10 individuals, including Iran’s interior minister and police chiefs, for their roles in “recent brutality against protesters,” the British foreign ministry said.
Those sanctioned include the Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FARAJA), interior minister Eskandar Momeni, two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officers, an Iranian businessman linked to the IRGC and two judges.
“The Iranian people have shown extreme courage in the face of brutality and repression over recent weeks simply for exercising their right to peaceful protest,” said UK foreign minister Yvette Cooper.
“The reports and shocking scenes of violence that have been seen around the world are horrific,” Cooper said, adding that this package of sanctions seeks to hold Iran’s authorities “to account” for the crackdown.
The measures involve asset freezes and travel bans, the government said.
Thousands of Iranians are believed to have been killed in a crackdown on the protests, which were sparked by economic strain in late December and quickly evolved into calls for regime change in early January.
Iran’s authorities blame foreign countries for fomenting the violence, the worst domestic unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Tehran has acknowledged thousands of deaths during the protests, and on Sunday the presidency published the names of 2,986 people out of the 3,117 whom authorities said were killed in the unrest.
US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said it has confirmed 6,842 deaths, mostly protesters killed by security forces, with rights groups warning the figure is likely far higher.
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