U.S. Treasury Department designates two Iranian officials for human rights abuses in Iran

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U.S. Treasury Department designates two Iranian officials for human rights abuses in Iran

2011-02-23 23:26:14 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- The U.S. Departments of the Treasury and State on Wednesday designated two Iranian officials for their involvement in human rights abuses in Iran since the June 2009 presidential election.

Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, Tehran Prosecutor General, and Mohammed Reza Naqdi, commander of the IRGC’s Basij Forces, were designated in pursuant to Executive Order 13553 which provides the U.S. with new tools to target human rights abuses in Iran.

"Today’s designations highlight the complicity of two Iranian officials in significant human right abuses against the Iranian people," said OFAC Director Adam J. Szubin. "Dolatabadi and Naqdi have no place in the international financial system."

As a result of the designation, any property in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. citizens in which the designees have an interest is blocked, and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. Visa sanctions may also be imposed on the two officials.

Dolatabadi was appointed as Tehran Prosecutor General in August 2009. His office has indicted a large number of protesters, including people who took part in the December 2009 Ashura Day protests which resulted in deaths and injuries.

His office charged protesters with the charge of Muharebeh (enmity against God) which carries death sentence. His office also targeted and arrested reformists, human rights activists, and members of the media in order to tackle opposition groups.

Commander Reza Naqdi was responsible for or complicit in Basij abuses occurring in late 2009, including the violent response to the December 2009 protests. The Ashura Day demonstrations resulted in the death of 125 people and hundreds of protesters arrested.

Naqdi was responsible for Basij abuses occurring in late 2009, before being appointed as commander. He extracted forced confessions from high-ranking reformist leaders that were broadcast on Iranian state-run television and killed at least three demonstrators due to the wounds inflicted at the Kahrizak detention center.

On February 17, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Iran's Bank Refah for providing financial services that resulted in millions of dollars of weapons-related purchases by the to the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) and the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA).

Bank Refah is the 20th financial institution designated by the United States for its connection with Iran's weapons of mass destruction proliferation or support for international terrorism. The European Union previously imposed sanctions against the Tehran-based bank in July 2010.

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