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WASHINGTON: The USA on Friday (Dec 8) slapped sanctions on dozens of individuals over human rights abuses, together with Iranian officers it accused of being concerned within the focusing on of US officers, forward of Human Rights Day on Sunday (Dec 11).<\/p>\n
The US Treasury and State Departments imposed sanctions and visa restrictions on 37 individuals in 13 nations, Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned in a press release, in actions coordinated with Britain and Canada.<\/p>\n
Over the past 12 months the Treasury has sanctioned greater than 150 people and entities throughout a dozen nations, freezing their US property, for points referring to human rights abuse. Individuals who interact in sure transactions with them additionally danger being hit with sanctions.<\/p>\n
Two Iranian intelligence officers who recruited individuals for US operations are listed, the Treasury Division mentioned in a press release. Their mission included the deadly focusing on of present and former US authorities officers as revenge for the 2020 killing of Quds Drive Commander Qassem Soleimani.<\/p>\n
The officers, Majid Dastjani Farahani and Mohammad Mahdi Khanpour Ardestani, additionally recruited individuals for surveillance actions targeted on non secular websites, companies and different amenities in the US, Treasury added.<\/p>\n
Iran promised vengeance after a US air strike in Baghdad killed Soleimani, Tehran’s most distinguished navy commander and the architect of its rising affect within the Center East.<\/p>\n
Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.<\/p>\n
Taliban members had been sanctioned for his or her hyperlinks to the repression of ladies and women. These embrace the minister for the so-called Ministry for the Propagation of Advantage and Prevention of Vice that the Treasury mentioned has engaged in killings, abductions, whippings and beatings.<\/p>\n
The Taliban administration spokesman didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.<\/p>\n
Two mid-level Chinese language officers had been cited for his or her connection to “ongoing critical human rights abuse in Xinjiang”, the western Chinese language area the place the US says authorities are committing genocide in opposition to Uyghurs and different Muslim minority teams.<\/p>\n
The officers are Gao Qi, a Xinjiang public safety official; and Hu Lianhe, the deputy workplace director for the Xinjiang Work Coordination Small Group of the Central Committee, which helped design insurance policies for what Washington calls internment camps within the area.<\/p>\n
Chinese language embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu mentioned the sanctions had been unlawful.<\/p>\n
“Such acts grossly intervene in China’s inside affairs, flagrantly violate the essential norms governing worldwide relations and significantly undermine China-US relations. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns them,” he mentioned.<\/p>\n
The USA on Friday additionally restricted imports from three extra Chinese language corporations, together with COFCO Sugar Holding, over compelled labour practices involving Uyghurs and different minorities in China, the US authorities mentioned on Friday.<\/p>\n
“Our dedication to upholding and defending human rights is sacrosanct,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen mentioned within the assertion.<\/p>\n
“Treasury’s focused sanctions introduced at this time and over the previous 12 months underscore the seriousness of our dedication to selling accountability for human rights abuse and safeguarding the US monetary system from those that commit these egregious acts.”<\/p>\n
Additionally sanctioned are leaders of the Islamic State in Democratic Republic of Congo, the heads of 4 legal gangs in Haiti, and the Commissioner Basic of the Uganda Prisons Service, which Treasury mentioned has engaged in torture and others critical human rights abuse together with of LGBTQ group members.<\/p>\n
Uganda enacted one of many world’s harshest anti-gay legal guidelines in Might, which requires the loss of life penalty for sure same-sex acts.<\/p>\n
Washington additionally focused individuals in Liberia, South Sudan, Uganda and Central African Republic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n