Kousha, Esmaeil Zarei

"Esmaeil KOUSHA is an involved person under the Iran (Sanctions) (Human Rights) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 because: he is and has been involved in the commission of serious human rights violations in Iran, namely being responsible for, engaging in, providing support for and promoting serious violations with respect to the right to life and right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Iran in his role as Governor of Kurdistan and in the suppression of protests."¹

"Esmaeil Zarei Kousha is the governor of Iran’s Kurdistan province and responsible for overseeing Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) in the province. As such, he is responsible for the brutal response and excessive use of violence by the LEF and security forces to the protests held in Kurdistan following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September 2022. He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran."² 

"Governor of Iran’s Kurdistan province."³ 

Sources: 

1. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1117167/Notice_Iran__Human_Rights__141122.pdf

2. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.LI.2023.020.01.0001.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2023%3A020I%3ATOC

3. https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2023L00271