[JURIST] The US Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) [official website] announced [press release] Thursday sanction against the Iranian prison company Tehran Prisons Organization and one of its senior officials, Sohrab Soleimani, for human rights abuses at its Evin Prison. According to the release, “Former prisoners of Evin Prison have reported harsh interrogations, forced confessions, psychological and physical torture, and denial of access to medical care.” The sanctions are partly a reaction to an incident in April 2014 when prison officials beat political prisoners, injuring over 30 prisoners. The Treasury Department invoked Executive Order 13553 [text, PDF], which allows it to sanction Iranian officials who commit human rights abuses. OFAC Director John E. Smith said

Today’s designations highlight our continued support for the Iranian people and demonstrate our commitment to hold the Government of Iran responsible for its continued repression of its own citizens…. We will continue to identify, call out, and sanction those who are responsible for serious human rights abuses in Iran.

Iran has already faced sanctions from the US over its nuclear weapons. In March Iran imposed [JURIST report] reciprocal sanctions on 15 US companies after the US sanctioned nations that aided Iran’s nuclear program. A bill renewing US sanctions against Iran for another 10 years became law [JURIST report] last December. In response to renewal of the Iran Sanctions Act, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has accused the US of breaching the nuclear agreement and has ordered the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation to plan the development of nuclear-powered ships. The US House had approved the extension of sanctions [JURIST report] last November. In July 2015 the US entered into the JCPOA nuclear agreement with Iran where the county agreed not to create a nuclear bomb in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. The agreement was reached [JURIST report] after 20 months of negotiations.