What changed

B100067/2025

European Parliament resolution on the systematic repression of human rights in Iran, notably the cases of Pakhshan Azizi and Wrisha Moradi, and the taking of EU citizens as hostages

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the systematic repression of human rights in Iran, notably the cases of Pakshan Azizi and Wrisha Moradi, and the taking of EU citizens as hostages

(2025/2511(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Rule 150 of its Rulesprevious ofresolutions Procedure,on Iran,

whereas the human rights situation in Iran is increasingly deteriorating, and experts have expressed alarm at the escalating persecution of religion and belief on the ground; whereas members of ethnic and religious minorities in Iran face arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances; whereas being Muslim is a requirement for most government jobs;

– having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas Iranian courts, particularly revolutionary courts, regularly fail to provide fair trials and accept confessions obtained under torture as evidence in court; whereas the authorities also routinely restrict detainees’ access to legal counsel, particularly during the investigation period; whereas the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is included in the US sanctions list for their involvement in grave human rights violations;

A. whereas the human rights situation in Iran has significantly worsened, with a sharp rise in executions, including over 900 individuals in 2024 alone, many of whom were women, political dissidents and individuals connected to the protests sparked by the murder of Jina Mahsa Amini;

whereas following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in custody, the Iranian authorities have intensified efforts to suppress the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement and the fundamental rights of women and girls in Iran;

B. whereas Kurdish activists, social worker Pakhshan Azizi and advocate for women’s rights Verisheh (Wrisha) Moradi, who fought ISIS in Kurdistan, were sentenced to death for ‘armed rebellion against the state’; whereas they were denied a fair trial and subjected to torture and solitary confinement;

whereas the oppression of Iranian women is inherent to Islamic fundamentalism and a direct result of the application of Sharia law; whereas in 1983, compulsory veiling was imposed in Iran and ever since women who have refused to wear the veil have been harassed, arrested, imprisoned, tortured, flogged and killed;

C. whereas in January 2025 the Supreme Court of Iran upheld a death sentence against Pakhshan Azizi and others;

whereas recent reports highlight an increase in honour killings across Iran; whereas Iran’s legal framework is rooted in Islamic law which offers leniency to men who commit those crimes;

D. whereas dozens of innocent EU nationals have been arbitrarily detained in Iran, without access to fair trials, as part of Iran’s broader strategy of hostage diplomacy;

whereas European-Iranian dual nationals continue to be arrested, receive unfair trials, are placed in solitary confinement and sentenced on the basis of false and vague espionage charges; whereas Iran routinely uses hostage diplomacy as a foreign policy tool, including in the cases of European citizens, notably Dr Ahmedreza Djalali who is languishing as many others in the notorious Evin prison and recently recorded a video of his plight and calling for his release;

1. Denounces the Iranian regime’s unrestrained repression of human rights, in particular the targeting of women activists; strongly condemns the death sentence against Pakhshan Azizi and Wrisha Moradi; demands that Iran immediately and unconditionally release all unjustly imprisoned human rights defenders and political prisoners, including Pakhshan Azizi, Wrisha Moradi and at least 56 other political prisoners on death row;

Strongly condemns the ongoing deterioration of human rights in Iran, including the systematic repression of women; Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Pakshan Azizi and Wrisha Moradi; Calls for the death penalty to be abolished in Iran;

2. Reiterates its strong opposition to the death penalty and calls on the Iranian Government to introduce an immediate moratorium on and abolish it;

Calls on the Iranian authorities to eliminate all forms of discrimination against persons belonging to religious and ethnic minorities and to respect their fundamental rights and freedoms including freedom of conscience;

3. Calls for the EU and its Member States to increase support for Iranian human rights defenders and expresses its full support and solidarity with Iranians united in the ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement;

Calls for the unconditional release of EU nationals, and all unlawfully detained human rights activists and prisoners of conscience in Iran;

4. Urges the Iranian authorities to immediately release, safely repatriate and drop all charges against EU nationals, including Olivier Grondeau, Cécile Kohler, Jacques Paris and Ahmadreza Djalali; strongly condemns Iran’s use of hostage diplomacy; calls for the EU and its Member States to undertake joint diplomatic efforts and work collectively towards their release;

Calls on Iran to end the discriminatory laws and veiling requirements for women in Iran;

5. Condemns the Iranian regime’s systemic suppression of human rights movements and persecution of minorities, including Kurds, Baluchis, Christians, facing persecution after conversion, and Baha’is, all of them facing ethnic and religious discrimination, arrest and violations of fundamental rights aimed at silencing dissent;

Expresses its dismay that the Commission financed campaigns displaying the hijab as it serves as a symbol of oppression against women, not to be glorified or normalized; urges EU institutions and Member States to not finance any campaigns that promote the hijab;

6. Reiterates its call on the Council to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation and to extend EU sanctions to all those responsible for human rights violations, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, Prosecutor-General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad and Judge Iman Afshari;

Reiterates its call on the Council to expand the EU sanctions list to all those responsible for human rights violations in Iran;

7. Reiterates its call for increased financial support for Iranian civil society;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the relevantCouncil, parties.the Commission, the VP/HR, the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.