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Australia imposes more sanctions on Iran over human rights concerns

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  • Australia imposes more sanctions on Iran over human rights concerns
  • September 16, 2024
  • Article Body Text SYDNEY — <p>Australia is imposing more sanctions on Iranian officials on the second anniversary of the jailing and death of Mahsa Jina Amini.</p> <p>The 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman was arrested in September 2022 for &quot;improperly&quot; wearing her hijab.</p> <p>Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said Monday that Australia stood in solidarity “with Iranian women and girls in their struggle for equality and empowerment.”</p> <p>Wong announced financial sanctions and travel bans on senior security and law enforcement officials who have allegedly been involved in the &quot;violent repression&quot; of protests in Iran.  </p> <p>She said the human rights situation in Iran was “dire” as female activists continued to be detained and handed death sentences.</p> <p>Wong told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that abuses by Iranian authorities have continued since the death of Amini two years ago.</p> <p>“We have sanctioned five Iranian security and law enforcement officials who have been involved in these law enforcement so-called activities, which are ultimately a repression - a violent repression - of the Iranian people,” Wong said.</p> <p>Nikita White a campaigner with Amnesty International Australia, a rights group, told local media Monday that human rights have rapidly deteriorated in Iran. </p> <p>“The people who are being executed are being executed after facing horrifically unfair trials,&quot; White said. She said torture and and ill-treatment have been reported.</p> <p>Australia has now imposed sanctions on almost 200 individuals and organizations with links to Iran, including those associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It was listed by Canada as a terrorist group earlier this year following a similar move by the United States in 2019.  </p> <p>In Canberra on Monday, opposition lawmaker and shadow foreign affairs spokesperson Simon Birmingham urged the Australian government to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization.</p> <p>Earlier this month, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi described sanctions announced by Britain, France and Germany as “economic terrorism.”</p> <p>Araghchi has rejected U.S. claims that Tehran has sent ballistic missiles to Russia to help in its war with Ukraine. </p>
  • Content Type Text
  • Language English
  • NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
  • Subtitles / Dubbing Available No
  • Network VOA
  • Embargo Date September 16, 2024 05:29 EDT
  • Byline Phil Mercer
  • Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English
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