EU sanctions individuals and entities in Iran, Russia over rights abuses and hybrid threats

The European Union on Tuesday imposed new sanctions targeting individuals and entities in Iran and Russia for human rights violations and hybrid threats, while also listing actors in Moldova and Haiti for destabilising activities.

Under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, eight individuals and one entity were designated for committing serious abuses on behalf of Iranian state bodies outside Iran. Among them are members of the Zindashti Network—labelled a criminal group with ties to Iran’s intelligence ministry—and Mohammed Ansari, a senior figure in the IRGC Quds Force Unit 840.

“These listings highlight the EU’s concern over transnational repression by Iranian agencies using organised crime networks to target dissidents, including within EU borders,” the Council said.

Sanctioned individuals face asset freezes, funding bans, and travel restrictions across the EU.

Separately, the EU added five Russian judges to its sanctions list for their role in jailing Russian opposition figure Alexei Gorinov, who was sentenced to a penal colony for criticising the war in Ukraine. The measures include asset freezes and travel bans.

The EU also sanctioned seven individuals and three entities in Moldova for attempting to destabilise the country ahead of its 2024 presidential election and EU accession referendum. Those listed are linked to pro-Russian politician Ilan Shor and accused of vote buying and illegal party financing.

Sanctioned entities include the Moscow-aligned company A7, the Victory/Pobeda Political Bloc, and the Cultural Educational Centre of Moldova.

In Haiti, three individuals were listed for criminal activities and gang violence, as the EU extended its sanctions framework on the country until July 2026.

In a separate action, the EU imposed sanctions on nine people and six entities over Russia’s global disinformation and interference operations. These include Russia’s state-owned broadcasting network RTRS, accused of replacing Ukrainian transmissions in occupied areas with Kremlin-approved programming.

Others sanctioned include a Russian military electronic warfare centre in Kaliningrad for GNSS signal jamming that disrupted Baltic civil aviation, as well as media fronts like Tigerweb and the Foundation to Battle Injustice.

Pro-Russian influencer Nathalie Yamb was also listed for promoting Kremlin narratives targeting France and the West.

Copied