In a decisive move, the Council of the European Union has slapped sanctions on various elements of Iran’s judiciary, citing rampant human rights abuses, particularly against the Bahá’í community. The decision, made on April 14, 2025, targets specific judges and courts, including the Shiraz Revolutionary Court, and is seen as the EU’s robust response to the systematic persecution of religious minorities in the country.
Among those affected by these sanctions are judges mainly from the Tehran and Shiraz Courts of Appeal. Also in the crosshairs are officials at Shiraz Central Prison, notorious for its role in meting out harsh and unjust sentences to Bahá’ís. Such institutions have not only imposed lengthy prison sentences but have, in some cases, overseen executions during the early revolutionary period in Iran.
Rachel Bayani, a representative of the Bahá’í International Community at the EU, emphasised that the EU is standing shoulder to shoulder with the UN and other global bodies in denouncing these injustices. She stated, “The EU has joined the UN and other global institutions in unequivocally condemning the persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran, in the form of restrictive measures against those committing the injustice against the Bahá’ís.”
Reports from Tehran and Shiraz indicate that those judges under sanction have handed down harsh sentences to numerous Bahá’ís, often based on dubious legal grounds without any real evidence. This troubling pattern of behaviour illustrates a broader strategy to suppress a religious identity that is far too often challenged in Iran’s courts.
The EU’s decision not only targets unjust judicial rulings but also calls attention to the appalling conditions faced by Bahá’í prisoners. Many detainees suffer in overcrowded prisons, with insufficient medical care and dismal sanitation—conditions that are almost unimaginable. Disturbingly, some Bahá’í women, incarcerated for their beliefs, have been torn from their young children, adding another layer of tragedy to this ongoing saga.
Ms Bayani pointed out, “The sanctioning of courts and judges in the EU’s decision brings to light the instrumental role of the judiciary in Iran in institutionalizing religious discrimination.” She stressed that instead of serving as impartial judges, these officials are complicit in a scheme that seeks to uphold state-sponsored oppression, saying, “Judges are supposed to be the custodians of justice, but in Iran, their judgments have contributed to the perpetuation of institutionalized oppression.”
The European Union has imposed sanctions on various Iranian judiciary components, including judges and prisons, due to systematic human rights abuses against the Bahá’í community. The measures highlight judicial complicity in the persecution of Bahá’ís, who have suffered harsh sentences without proper legal processes. This decision underscores the oppressive practices within Iran’s legal system and calls for accountability and awareness.
This imposition of sanctions by the EU signifies a crucial step in addressing the persecution of the Bahá’í community in Iran. The targeted approach towards judicial entities shines a light on their involvement in systemic human rights abuses. With these measures, there’s hope that the international community will hold accountable those who perpetuate injustice and foster a culture of oppression against religious minorities. The EU’s firm stance raises awareness and, perhaps, offers a glimmer of hope for a shift towards justice in Iran’s troubled legal landscape.
Original Source: iranpresswatch.org
