Washington announced Thursday, September 22, economic sanctions targeting the Iranian morality police and several security officials for "
violence against demonstrators
", as well as for the fate of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died after her arrest.
These sanctions target "
Iran's vice police and senior Iranian security officials responsible for this oppression
," and "
demonstrate the Biden-Harris administration's clear commitment to defending human rights and women's rights, in Iran and around the world
,” US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.
The morality police in the viewfinder
"
The vice squad is responsible for the recent death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested and detained for allegedly wearing a hijab inappropriately
," the U.S. Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a statement. Treasure.
Mahsa Amini, originally from Kurdistan (north-west), was arrested on September 13 in Tehran for "
wearing inappropriate clothes
" by the morality police responsible for enforcing the strict dress code in the Islamic Republic.
Women must cover their hair and are not allowed to wear short or tight coats or jeans with holes.
Read alsoDemonstrations in Iran: at least 31 dead since the start of the protest
She died on September 16 in hospital.
Activists said she was fatally shot in the head, but Iranian officials denied this and announced an investigation.
OFAC also highlights “
verbal and physical violence against Iranian women and the violation of the rights of peaceful Iranian protesters
”, and targets, in addition to the morality police, “
seven senior leaders of Iranian security organizations (. ..) (who) oversee organizations that regularly resort to violence
”.
Social networks suspended
"
Mahsa Amini was a brave woman whose death in police custody by the morality police is
yet another act of brutality by the Iranian regime's security forces against her own people," Yellen said.
"
We condemn this unconscionable act in the strongest terms and call on the Iranian government to end its violence against women and its continued violent crackdown on freedom of expression and assembly
," the minister added. 'Economics and Finances of Joe Biden.
Demonstrations erupted immediately after his death, affecting fifteen cities across the country.
At least 17 people died according to a state media report on Thursday.
But the toll is likely to be much heavier, and the opposition NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR), based in Oslo, reports at least 31 civilians killed by the security forces.
And the Iranian authorities have since Wednesday evening blocked access to the Instagram and WhatsApp social networks.
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