§8514 Imposition of Sanctions on Certain Persons Who Are Responsible for or Complicit in Human Rights Abuses Committed Against Citizens of Iran or Their Family Members After the June 12, 2009, Elections in Iran

Summary

The President must make and send to Congress a list, within 90 days after July 1, 2010, of Iranian government officials and people acting for that government (including members of groups like Ansar-e-Hezbollah and Basij-e Mostaz’afin) who, on or after June 12, 2009, are believed, on credible evidence, to have carried out or helped serious human rights abuses against Iranian citizens or their family members. The President must update the list by 270 days after July 1, 2010, every 180 days after that, and whenever new information appears. The list should be unclassified but may have a classified annex. The public part must be posted on the Treasury and State Department websites. The President must consider reliable information from other countries and human rights groups, including groups in Iran. People on the list can be denied U.S. visas and face economic penalties under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), such as property freezes and limits on financial and trade deals, with rules and narrow exceptions the President sets (including for the U.N. Headquarters agreement signed June 26, 1947, and effective November 21, 1947). The sanctions stop only when the President certifies to Congress that Iran has met four steps: released all political prisoners (including those detained after June 12, 2009); stopped violence, unlawful detention, torture, and abuse of peaceful political actors; investigated and prosecuted those responsible for the post‑June 12, 2009 killings, arrests, and abuse; and publicly committed to and is making real progress toward an independent judiciary and respecting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.