Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 65
65
Iran’s human rights record and selective commitment to upholding international law is a threat to...
Recommendation
Iran’s human rights record and selective commitment to upholding international law is a threat to the rules based international system generally, and a key challenge faced when aiding detained nationals specifically. The FCDO has admirably used international fora to exert pressure on Iran and to encourage a behaviour change, but a country which does not respect international norms will never be embarrassed into compliance. The time has come for a more robust approach. For its next round of Magnitsky-style sanctions, we recommend that the FCDO prioritises building watertight cases against human rights abusers based in Iran or acting for it abroad, including those involved in the arbitrary detention of UK and dual nationals. 26 No prosperity without justice: the UK’s relationship with Iran 4 Conclusions
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
We take careful note of the Committee’s recommendation. We currently impose sanctions against a number of Iranians involved in serious human rights violations and abuses under the UK’s autonomous Iran (Human Rights) sanctions regime, which came into force on 31 December 2020. We hope these sanctions will encourage the Government of Iran to comply with international human rights law and to respect human rights. The UK’s Global Human Rights (‘Magnitsky’) sanctions regime, established on 6 July 2020, also allows us to impose sanctions on individuals and entities involved in serious human rights violations or abuses around the world. The purposes of the sanctions regime are to provide accountability for, and deter, activity that would amount to a serious violations or abuses of the right to life; the right to not be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; and the right to be free from slavery, not to be held under servitude or required to perform forced or compulsory labour. We will continue to consider future sanctions designations, however, it would not be appropriate to speculate who may be designated, as to do so could reduce the impact of future designations.