Repression, death sentences and cyber-attacks: EU sanctions Iranian judges and hackers

Brussels, 24 July 2026

The Council decided today to impose restrictive measures on an additional six individuals responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran, in line with the Union’s principled position.

The Council is notably listing five judges of Iran regional Revolutionary courts who have presided over trials targeting religious minorities and political dissidents, including the Nobel Peace Prize Winner Narges Mohammadi, on the basis of vaguely defined national security and religious charges. In those instances, they have imposed death sentences and long prison sentences, flogging, fines or supplementary punishments on political dissidents and human rights activists, including in connection with the 2022 ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ protests following the death of Mahsa Amini.

In addition, the Council is targeting Nima Salehi an Iranian hacker and computer engineer, who is the founder and a leading figure within the ‘Ashiyane’ cyber group. Ashiyane Digital Security cooperates closely with the EU-listed Cyber Police (FATA) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and is responsible for intensive cyber-attacks on both domestic opponents and reformists and foreign institutions, thereby assisting the regime’s crackdown against the opposition.

With today’s decision, restrictive measures related to human rights violations in Iran now apply to a total of 269 individuals and 53 entities. They consist of an asset freeze, travel bans to the EU, and a prohibition to make funds or economic resources available to those listed. A ban on exports to Iran of equipment that might be used for internal repression, including equipment for monitoring telecommunications, is also in place.

The EU strongly supports the fundamental aspirations of the people of Iran for a future where their universal human rights and fundamental freedoms are fully respected, protected and fulfilled.

The relevant legal acts have been published in the Official Journal of the EU.

Background

In 2011 the EU introduced a regime consisting of restrictive measures that have been renewed annually since and last extended until April 2027.

Since 2022, the EU has drastically increased restrictive measures, adopting multiple packages of sanctions in the context of growing concerns about serious human rights abuses and violations in Iran.

In its conclusions of 18 and 19 June 2026, the European Council called on the Iranian regime to cease the violence and repression against its own people. It called for the respect of the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Iranian people, including the right to choose their own future. In this regard, it stated that the European Union will continue to work on further restrictive measures against those responsible.

Source – EU Council