Overview

Mehdi Alibabaei is the EU-designated IRGC provincial deputy in Iran’s Qom province, where he directs IRGC and Basij forces in the city of Qom.Official Journal of the European Union, “Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/846 of 24 April 2023 implementing Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Iran,” EUR-Lex, April 24, 2023, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.LI.2023.109.01.0015.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2023%3A109I%3ATOC. He holds the rank of major.“Iranian press review: IRGC take over new enforcement of hijab,” Middle East Eye, March 24, 2023, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iran-mps-irgc-new-measures-enforce-hijab-press-review. Alibabaei stands accused of overseeing widespread human rights abuses by IRGC forces under his command.Official Journal of the European Union, “Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/846 of 24 April 2023 implementing Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Iran,” EUR-Lex, April 24, 2023, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.LI.2023.109.01.0015.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2023%3A109I%3ATOC.

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.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.

In March 2023, Iranian media reported the IRGC’s Basij militia would deploy throughout Qom to enforce the mandatory hijab law. Alibabaei called the Basij deployment part of the promotion of “the hijab culture.”“Iranian press review: IRGC take over new enforcement of hijab,” Middle East Eye, March 24, 2023, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iran-mps-irgc-new-measures-enforce-hijab-press-review. Under Alibabaei, the new strategy would include neighborhood patrols by IRGC and Basij forces, who would use intelligence and intimidation to enforce the hijab law.Official Journal of the European Union,  “Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/846 of 24 April 2023 implementing Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Iran,” EUR-Lex, April 24, 2023, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.LI.2023.109.01.0015.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2023%3A109I%3ATOC. According to Iranian legislators, police and the Basij will use “social exclusion” instead of violence to enforce the hijab.“Iranian press review: IRGC take over new enforcement of hijab,” Middle East Eye, March 24, 2023, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iran-mps-irgc-new-measures-enforce-hijab-press-review. The European Union has denounced the Qom program as “a new level of denunciation and information gathering by the general population to oppress women.”Official Journal of the European Union,  “Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/846 of 24 April 2023 implementing Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Iran,” EUR-Lex, April 24, 2023, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.LI.2023.109.01.0015.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2023%3A109I%3ATOC.

The European Union accuses forces under Alibabaei’s command of violating fundamental rights of Iranian citizens. As Alibabaei oversees the IRGC and Basij in Qom, the European Union accuses him of responsibility for “serious human rights violations in Iran.”Official Journal of the European Union,  “Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/846 of 24 April 2023 implementing Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Iran,” EUR-Lex, April 24, 2023, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.LI.2023.109.01.0015.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2023%3A109I%3ATOC.