The EU sanctions five Iranian judges for death sentences, floggings, and trials against dissidents

The European Union has imposed travel bans and asset freezes on five Iranian judges accused of issuing death sentences, prison terms, and floggings in trials against protesters, political dissidents, human rights activists, and members of religious minorities. The sixth sanctioned individual is Iranian hacker Nima Salehi, whom the Council associates with cyberattacks used to suppress the opposition.

In short, the five sanctioned judges are Mostafa Narimani, Abolfazl Ameri Shahrabi, Mehdi Rasekhi, Mohammad-Reza Amoozad, and Mohammad-Reza Tavakoli, who operate in courts in Karaj, Tehran, Rasht, and Isfahan. The Council holds them responsible for trials against dissidents, activists, protesters, and religious minorities, in which death sentences, imprisonment, flogging, fines, and additional sanctions were imposed. Abolfazl Ameri Shahrabi has sentenced individuals prosecuted in connection with the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests and has issued prison sentences against Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi. Nima Salehi is sanctioned for his role in the cyber group Ashiyane, which the Council claims conducts attacks against opponents in Iran and foreign institutions and collaborates with the Iranian Cyber Police and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The European sanctions regime for human rights violations in Iran now includes 269 individuals and 53 entities. Those included on the list cannot enter the EU, and their funds and economic resources in the Union are frozen.

Judge and head of Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court in Karaj, Alborz province, Mostafa Narimani, is accused by the Council of leading trials against religious minorities and political dissidents, using vaguely formulated charges regarding national security and religion. In these cases, he allegedly issued death sentences and long prison terms.

The Council states that the procedures led by Narimani were marked by serious violations of procedural guarantees. Among these are mentioned prolonged interrogations, confessions obtained under duress, and denial of access to a lawyer.

Judge and head of Branch 1191 of the Second Degree Criminal Court in Tehran, Abolfazl Ameri Shahrabi, is sanctioned for the sentences imposed on individuals prosecuted in connection with the protests that erupted in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini. These demonstrations became known by the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom."

Shahrabi has issued prison sentences, floggings, fines, and additional sanctions against individuals involved in protests or prosecuted for non-compliance with mandatory hijab regulations. He has also sentenced political prisoners and human rights activists, including Narges Mohammadi.

Judge of Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht, Mehdi Rasekhi, has led trials against political dissidents, human rights defenders, women's rights activists, and members of religious minorities. According to the reasoning for the sanctions, he imposed prison sentences, fines, and other sanctions based on vaguely formulated charges regarding national security and propaganda.

Judge and head of Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, Mohammad-Reza Amoozad, who also serves as a consulting judge in Branch 15 of the same court, is accused of leading trials against protesters, political dissidents, civil society activists, women who opposed mandatory hijab, and members of religious minorities.

The Council states that Amoozad has issued death sentences, long prison terms, floggings, and other sanctions in procedures marked by serious violations of the right to a fair trial.

Judge and head of Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan, Mohammad-Reza Tavakoli, is sanctioned for trials against protesters, dissidents, and members of religious minorities. He has issued death sentences and long prison terms based on charges regarding national security, propaganda, and religion, described by the Council as vaguely defined.

The sixth person included on the list, Nima Salehi, is presented as a hacker, computer engineer, and a central figure of the cyber group Ashiyane. EU documents identify him as a co-founder, leader, or deputy leader of the group, also mentioned under the name Alireza Salehi and the pseudonym Q7x.

The Council states that Ashiyane is associated with the Iranian regime and collaborates closely with the Iranian Cyber Police, known as FATA, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Both structures are already on the European sanctions lists.

The group is said to have conducted intense cyberattacks against opponents and reformists in Iran, as well as against foreign institutions. Through these activities, Ashiyane is said to have supported the repression of the opposition and serious human rights violations attributed to the Iranian authorities.

Inclusion on the sanctions list produces three main consequences for the six individuals. Any funds and economic resources they hold in the EU are frozen, and individuals and European companies are prohibited from providing them with money or other economic resources. Sanctioned individuals cannot enter or transit the territory of member states.

The measures came into effect on July 24, 2026, with the publication of the acts in the Official Journal of the European Union. The Council adopted both the decision under the common foreign and security policy and the regulation necessary for the direct application of economic restrictions in all member states.

The two legal acts contain the same list of individuals and the same reasons. The decision establishes measures under the EU's foreign policy, while the regulation ensures the enforcement of asset freezes and the prohibition of making funds available to those sanctioned.

The Council adopted the sanctions after the European Council requested the Iranian authorities, at the meeting on June 18 and 19, 2026, to stop the violence and repression against the population and to respect the rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right of Iranians to decide their future.

The new inclusions raise the number of sanctioned individuals under the European regime regarding human rights in Iran to 269. The list also includes 53 entities. Separate from individual measures, the EU prohibits the export to Iran of equipment that can be used for internal repression, including certain telecommunications monitoring technologies.

The European sanctions regime for serious human rights violations in Iran was established in 2011 and is renewed annually. Its current period of application ends in April 2027, unless member states decide on a new extension.

The EU has significantly expanded the list since 2022, following the repression of protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police. The sanctions do not represent criminal convictions issued by a court but restrictive measures adopted by the Council based on the assessment and reasoning included in the legal acts.

Sanctioned individuals can contest their inclusion before the courts of the European Union and can request the Council to review the decision. The measures remain applicable until the individual is removed from the list, annulled by the EU courts, or the regime under which they were adopted is terminated.