Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As we enter the fifth month of the Woman, Life, Freedom protests in Iran, more horrific accounts have emerged of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps beating, torturing and assaulting men and women arrested for exercising their human right to protest. This is the fourth time I've brought this to the parliament's attention and it is something I intend to continue to do, standing with the Iranian Australian community in my electorate of Bennelong. More than 500 people have been killed by security forces since these protests began. Seventy of them were children. Four protesters have been executed and at least a hundred more face possible death sentences. Regimes that fear the power of public protest have, in turn, no recourse but to make the public fear the regime. This is why Iranian state security forces beat and torture prisoners: to terrify and to terrorise, to instil fear and to try to instil shame. But the shame is theirs and their regime's. The IRGC is a malignant actor that has long threatened security internationally in its near region and, of course, within Iran. Its actions are unconscionable.

Two weeks ago, our foreign minister, Senator Penny Wong, announced additional sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities for abhorrent abuse of human rights. These included Magnitsky-style sanctions, including on senior law enforcement, political, and military figures, some within the IRGC. Just two days ago, the home affairs minister reiterated that the Australian government will not tolerate any attempts by the Iranian regime to disrupt peaceful protests, encourage violence or suppress views here in Australia, as they have been found to do. Nor will we tolerate hostile acts in the form of surveillance, harassment or intimidation against individuals or family members here in Australia. This government will not stand back and have Australians watched, tracked or intimidated by the Iranian regime.

Additionally, Australia is joining partners to impose additional targeted financial sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities involved in the production and supply of drones to Russia. Iranian-made drones have been used by Russia to target Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure. The government intends to employ every strategy at its disposal towards upholding human rights, ranging from dialogue and diplomacy to sanctions, consistent with our values and our interests. I'd like to thank the Iranian Australian community in my electorate of Bennelong for their ongoing advocacy and commitment to bringing this issue to my attention. I will continue to be their voice here in this parliament. Labor governments have a strong history of taking decisive steps on action with the IRGC and will continue to do so.