Overview

Habib Shahsavari is the internationally designated commander of the Shohada Provincial Corps of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province.“Iran-related Designations; Russia-related Designation Removal; Ukraine-related Designation Removal,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, March 8, 2023, https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20230308; “CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK,” HM Treasury, last updated April 24, 2023, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1152335/Iran__Human_Rights_.pdf. Shahsavari holds the rank of brigadier general. He is accused of participation in “gross and systematic human rights violations in Iran, including through the lethal suppression of demonstrations across Kurdish areas of Western Iran.”“Sanctions – Gross and systematic human rights violations in Iran,” Government of Canada, accessed April 25, 2023, https://www.international.gc.ca/campaign-campagne/iran-sanction/index.aspx?lang=eng.

In September 2022, the IRGC joined in violently suppressing protests that erupted after the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died in custody after being detained by Tehran’s morality police, the Guidance Patrol, earlier in the month. The Guidance Patrol sent Amini to a detention center to undergo re-education when they claimed she was not wearing a hijab properly. She died three days later. In response, protests erupted across the country against Iran’s theocratic rule. The IRGC aided in suppressing the protests, leading to violent clashes with protesters. At least 522 protesters have been killed since the protests began in September 2022.Arsalan Shahla, “Iran Launches Artillery Against Militants in Northern Iraq,” September 24, 2022, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-24/iran-launches-artillery-against-militants-in-northern-iraq?leadSource=uverify%20wall; “IRGC will not hesitate to target origin of any anti-Iran operation wherever it may be: General,” Press TV, September 27, 2022, https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/09/27/689915/IRGC-will-not-hesitate-target-origin-any-anti-Iran-operation-General; Caitlin McFall, “The Guardian Patrol sent Amini to a detention center to undergo re-education when they claimed she was not wearing a hijab properly. She died three days later.,” Fox News, September 24, 2022, https://www.foxnews.com/world/protestors-clash-revolutionary-guard-northern-iran-torch-irgc-base-reports; “Iran’s Guards Break Their Silence, Warn Protesters,” Iran International, September 22, 2022, https://www.iranintl.com/en/202209229946; “Lebanon’s Hezbollah Helping Iran In Its Pro-Government Propaganda,” Iran International, October 9, 2022, https://www.iranintl.com/en/202210091141; Vivian Yee and Farnaz Fassihi, “Iran Has Abolished Morality Police, an Official Suggests, After Months of Protests,” New York Times, last updated December 5, 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/04/world/middleeast/iran-morality-police.html; Patrick Wintour and Maryam Foumani, “Iran: mass strike starts amid mixed messages around abolishment of morality police,” Guardian (London), December 5, 2022, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/05/iran-strike-abolishment-morality-police; Agence France-Presse, “At least 522 Have Died in Iran Protests, Human Rights Report Says,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, January15, 2023, https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protests-death-count-human-rights-report/32224340.html#:~:text=At%20least%20522%20people%20have,security%20forces%2C%20the%20agency%20reported.

According to the European Union, IRGC troops under Shahsavari’s command used disproportionate force against protesters, resulting in human rights violations. In particular, the European Union cited IRGC misconduct under Shahsavari’s command during operations in the West Azerbaijan towns of Piranshahr, Mahabad, and Bukan on November 15, 2022. According to estimates cited by the European Union, IRGC forces killed four people in Mahabad and 12 people in Bukan. The European Union holds Shahsavari responsible for “serious human rights violations in Iran.”Official Journal of the European Union, “COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING DECISION (CFSP) 2022/2433 of 12 December 2022 implementing Decision 2011/235/CFSP concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Iran,” EUR-Lex, December 12, 2022, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32022D2433&from=EN.