Britain Sanctions 5 Officials of the Islamic Republic Over 'Mandatory Hijab Enforcement'

Britain has sanctioned five officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran due to their roles in enforcing mandatory hijab and 'suppressing fundamental freedoms.' The British government announced on Friday, December 8, that these five individuals are responsible for the public transportation system in Tehran and various judicial-security sectors of the Iranian government, and have participated in the enforcement of mandatory hijab policy. The new sanctions against 'human rights violators' were announced on the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The British government’s statement mentioned Masoud Dorosti, CEO of the Tehran Metro Operating Company, Ali Salehi, Tehran's prosecutor, Ali Akbar Javidan, police chief of Hormozgan, Alireza Adyani, head of the ideological-political organization of the Islamic Republic's police, and Hassan Mofakhami Shahrani, police chief of Mazandaran, as the sanctioned individuals. The sanctioning of the CEO of the Tehran Metro Operating Company comes after the presence of hijab enforcers at Tehran metro stations aimed at enforcing mandatory hijab has sparked widespread criticism. Concurrently with these sanctions, David Cameron, the British Foreign Secretary, emphasized that 'criminals and oppressive regimes that trample the fundamental rights and freedoms of ordinary people around the world' will not be tolerated by Britain. Accordingly, the assets of the sanctioned individuals will be frozen, transactions with them will be prohibited, and they will be denied entry or presence in the UK. International observers and various countries have also taken a stance against the suppression of opponents of mandatory hijab in Iran. Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, expressed concern in his recent report about the status of women's rights in Iran, including the arrest and imprisonment of individuals protesting mandatory hijab, emphasizing that 'Iranian women and girls are subjected to gender apartheid and discrimination.' Additionally, Canada has recently imposed sanctions on dozens of Iranian individuals and entities for their involvement in gross and systematic human rights violations and serious threats to international peace and security. The commemoration of Armita Garavand's fortieth day of mourning took place in a security atmosphere in Behesht Zahra, where at least one citizen was arrested. Global News reported that Canada has filed a case to expel a senior Iranian Ministry of Interior official. Technology is being used for repression, with the Islamic Republic employing smart facial recognition cameras. One month after Armita Garavand's death, a member of parliament stated that hijab enforcers should be stationed everywhere.