After the death of Mahsa Amini, while she was in the hands of Iran’s Morality Police last week, violent protests sparked across the country.
Following this, the Treasury Department imposed sanctions against the Morality Police. The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Treasury made the announcement of the sanctions on Thursday.
It stated the violence and exploitation against Iranian women, as well as the infringement on the rights of peaceful demonstrators in Iran, were the reasons for the sanctions.
Protests are sweeping Iran & women are burning their hijabs after the death last week of Mahsa Amini, following her arrest by the “morality police”. Human rights groups say at least 8 have been killed. Last night, I planned to ask President Raisi about all this and much more. 1/7
— Christiane Amanpour (@amanpour) September 22, 2022
Death and Coverup
Amini, 22, passed away one week ago after slipping into a coma while being held in custody.
The department added that eyewitness accounts claim she sustained her concussions while in the custody of the Morality Police.
It notes how police faulted her death on cardiovascular conditions, despite the fact her family’s claims that she does not have such a condition.
She was detained in Tehran on the grounds that she was wearing “unsuitable clothes,” specifically a headscarf that was not worn correctly.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen described Mahsa Amini as a heroic woman, stating her death while in the custody of the Morality Police was yet another act of barbarism committed by the Iranian regime’s security personnel against the Iranian people.
She said they call on the Iranian regime to stop its brutality against women and its escalating violent onslaught on individual liberty and assembly. They denounce this abhorrent conduct in the strongest possible terms.
Leaders Are In on It
New sanctions that were imposed on senior Iranian security personnel and members of Iran’s Morality Police (who are liable for this oppression) illustrate the firm commitment of the Biden-Harris Administration to stand up for human rights, as well as the rights of women in Iran and around the world.
The sanctions also affected seven senior Iranian leaders who were responsible for the country’s various security institutions.
The department continued by saying the rulers are from the Morality Police, the Department of Security and Intelligence, the Army’s Ground Troops, the Basij Resistance Forces, and the Law Enforcement Troops.
It turns out their agents routinely use violence to deal with peaceful demonstrators and members of Iranian civil society. Ideological dissidents, women’s rights activists, and members of the Iranian Baha’i community are also subjected to violence.
Muslim women protested in France fr the freedom to wear the hijab. Muslim women in Iran protesting for the freedom to not wear the hijab.
Similarity? Both are protesting for freedom against being told what to do.
— Deena (@DogMonkeyKong) September 21, 2022
According to the Associated Press, demonstrations regarding Amini’s execution have broken out in at least a dozen different places. In even more tragedy, various clashes between protestors and Iranian security forces have resulted in the deaths of at least nine people.
Similarly, women in France are protesting for the right to wear their hijabs. Their fights, while contrasting with Iran, have the same underlying issue: they want to have the choice to wear what they want.
