The United States on Thursday added several Iranian officials and companies to its list of alleged human rights abuses. The United States has imposed sanctions, including on a judge accused of killing and executing an Iranian athlete. Reuters.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that the United States had imposed sanctions on Justice Syed Mahmoud Sadati, Shiraz Revolutionary Court 1st Division Judge Mohammed Soldani and Adel Abbott, Orumie and Wagilabad.
Elliott Abrams, the US special envoy to Iran and Venezuela, has imposed sanctions on a judge who sentenced Iranian militant Naveed Abkari to death. Pompeo said Sadati, a judge in the 1st branch of the Shiraz Revolutionary Court, coordinated one of Afkari’s trials.
“The United States has promised to hold accountable those who deny freedom and justice to the Iranian people, and will announce sanctions against a number of Iranian officials and organizations, including the judge who sentenced Naveed Afkari to death,” Abrams said. Inquiry into the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The militant was convicted and hanged earlier this month
Iranian state media reported that the militant was hanged earlier this month after being accused of stabbing a security guard during anti-government protests in 2018.
Also on the detention list is the Adel Abad prison, where the militant was tortured by Iranian authorities, the Vakilabad prison where US citizen Michael White was detained.
Pompeo also criticized Iran for illegally arresting three Americans, Bagar and Siyamak Namazi and Morat Tahpas, and said the United States would make every effort to bring them home.
Earlier this week, Washington imposed new sanctions on the Iranian defense ministry and others involved in the country’s nuclear and weapons program in support of the US claim that all UN sanctions against Tehran are now being lifted.
Tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated since US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from his predecessor Iran’s nuclear deal in 2018 and began reintroducing sanctions relaxed under the agreement.
