Ministry of the Interior

Person/Entity:
Entity
Sanctioned:
No
Background:

Responsible for internal security policy, including the conduct of the Law Enforcement Forces (LEF), which are sanctioned by the United States and EU for human rights abuses. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, "the Ministry of the Interior is also responsible for issuing permits for peaceful gatherings... The Ministry has routinely denied permits, or granted permits and then denied security, for the gatherings. These gatherings have then been attacked by plainclothes individuals believed to be part of the intelligence and security apparatus."1

The ministry has also attempted to cover up the role of the Morality Police in Mahsa Amini's death, falsely claiming she suffered from preexisting health conditions and died of a heart attack.2

The sanctioned Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi under Executive Order 13553 on Oct. 6, 2022, saying he "maintains oversight over all Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) deployed to subdue protests in Iran, including the ongoing protests over the death of Mahsa Amini. The LEF has used lethal force against protesters on multiple occasions in the past, making it a key instrument of the Iranian regime in its ongoing repression of its own people. The LEF’s actions have resulted in thousands of deaths, including at least dozens of casualties in the recent demonstrations against the Morality Police. In the past, Vahidi has warned Iranian women that the government’s security forces will penalize those 'breaking rules' in reference to hijab compliance. Recently, Vahidi has explicitly threatened protesters who continue to challenge the regime and has defended the brutal actions of LEF officers in suppressing ongoing protests."3

Sources:

1. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm1015

2. https://asiatimes.com/2022/09/crisis-in-iran-raisis-hijab-hype-backfiring-badly/

3. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0994

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