Minister Joly to host women foreign ministers’ meeting on Iran
News release
October 19, 2022 – Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that she will be hosting a virtual meeting of women foreign ministers on October 20, 2022, to hear directly from women of Iranian heritage and discuss the grave state of women’s and human rights in Iran in the midst of mass unrests and ongoing protests against the Iranian regime.
Canada is committed to working with the international community to support Iranians, in particular women and youth, as they fight for their human rights. This meeting will provide leading women diplomats with an opportunity to coordinate their efforts and engage on ways to increase their collective support for the Iranian people.
Canada has taken swift action in response to the killing of Mahsa Amini, who died while in custody of Iran’s “Morality Police” for allegedly wearing her hijab incorrectly. Since October 3, 2022, Canada has imposed sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations against 42 individuals and 12 entities in response to the Iranian regime’s systematic human rights violations and ongoing actions that destabilize regional security.
Quotes
“This week, my counterparts and I will gather to send a clear message: the Iranian regime must end all forms of violence and persecution against the Iranian people, including their brutal aggressions against women in particular. Canada will continue to stand by the courageous Iranians who are fighting for their human rights and standing up for their mothers, sisters, wives and daughters. Women’s rights are human rights.”
- Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Quick facts
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On October 7, 2022, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland announced Canada's intent to implement several new measures to respond to Iran's ongoing human rights violations and threats to regional peace and security, including:
- Listing the Iranian regime, including top leaders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) by pursuing a designation under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
- Expanding sanctions against the IRGC and introducing a new tailored regulation to ensure no sanctioned individual connected to the IRGC can enter Canada, pending the passage of Bill S-8
- Investing $76 million to strengthen Canada's capacity to implement sanctions and ensure we can move more quickly to freeze and seize sanctioned individuals' assets, including through a dedicated bureau at Global Affairs Canada and additional support to the RCMP to investigate and identify assets and gather evidence
- Pursuing all the tools at our disposal, including the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act, which enables restrictive financial and property measures for foreign nationals responsible for gross violations of human rights
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To date, Canada has imposed sanctions on 83 Iranian individuals and 173 Iranian entities, including the IRGC and the regime's security, intelligence and economic apparatus.
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In 2012, Canada designated the Islamic Republic of Iran as a supporter of terrorism under the State Immunity Act. In concert with the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, this listing allows victims to bring civil action against Iran for losses or damages from an act of terrorism with links to Iran committed anywhere in the world.
Associated links
Contacts
Adrien Blanchard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Adrien.Blanchard@international.gc.ca
Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
media@international.gc.ca
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