Australia Imposes Sanctions on Russia, Iran over Human Rights Violations

On December 10, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced that the government would impose targeted sanctions on Russia and Iran in response to “egregious” human rights violations.

In a statement, Minister Wong said Australia will impose Magnitsky-style sanctions on 13 individuals and two entities, including Morality Police and Basij Resistance Force, and six Iranians involved in the crack-down on protests triggered by the death of a brave 22-year-old lady named Mahsa Amini. She said, “The Iranian regime’s blatant and widespread disregard for the human rights of its own people has appalled Australians, and the perpetrators must be held accountable.”

The sanctions also include Seyed Sadegh Hosseini, a senior commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran, due to his indiscriminate use of violence against protestors. In addition to the human rights sanctions, Australia has imposed targeted financial sanctions on three Iranians and one Iranian company for supplying drones to Russia for use against Ukraine.

Since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war, Australia has sanctioned hundreds of Russian individuals and entities, including Russia’s banking sector and all organizations responsible for the country’s sovereign debt. Australia has also provided defense equipment and humanitarian aid to Ukraine while banning exports of alumina and aluminum ore, including bauxite, to Russia.