EU Names Iranians On Sanctions List

Ahmed Shaheed, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran

The European Union has released the names of a new group of Iranians subject to sanctions for alleged human rights violations.

EU foreign ministers met in Brussels on March 11 and added nine people to the list of Iranian nationals facing a travel ban and an assets freeze.

On March 12 it named the government, judicial, and media officials.

The list includes the head of Evin prison, several judges and prosecutors, and two leaders of Iran's state-controlled Press TV.

The total number of Iranians facing EU sanctions is now 87.

The ministers also imposed an asset freeze on the government body known as the Iranian Cyberpolice for its activities against dissidents and the imposition of restrictive measures on Internet usage.

The sanctions will be active until April 13, 2014.

Meanwhile, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran says there are numerous problems in the country that need to be addressed urgently.

During the presentation of his report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Ahmed Shaheed said there is "an apparent increase in the degree of seriousness of human rights violations."

Shaheed cited the high rate of executions for offenses that do not meet the "most serious crimes" standards under international law.

He also mentioned discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities, the denial of political and civil rights like freedom of expression, and practices that amount to torture, cruel, or degrading treatment.

Shaheed said Iran had made some progress on women's rights but that Iranian women continue to face problems in obtaining education and holding key government positions.

With reporting by AFP and AP