What changed

B100225/2025

European Parliament resolution on the execution spree in Iran and confirmation of the death sentences of activists Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the execution spree in Iran and the confirmation of the death sentences of activists Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani

(2025/2628(RSP))

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Iran;Iran,

– having regard to itsRules rule150(5) and 136(4) of procedureits 150(5);Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas political prisoners Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani are at imminent risk of execution in Ghezel Hesar prison; whereas a request for a judicial review was rejected in February 2025;

A whereas Iran has the highest death sentence rate per capita in the world; whereas since the Women, Life, Freedom uprising in 2022, the Iranian authorities have embarked on an execution spree, including against dissidents, women, journalists and minorities;

B. whereas the Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic of Iran has upheld the execution sentence of the humanitarian worker Pakhshan Azizi, and has sentenced to death Wirishe Moradi, who fought against the Islamic State in North-East Syria;

B whereas the human rights situation in Iran is worsening, including the systemic targeting of women, children and ethnic and religious minorities, such as Christians, Baha’is, Kurds and Baluchis;

C. whereas human rights defender Sharifeh Mohammadi is at risk of execution after being sentenced to death in February 2025 for her activities, including supporting women’s and workers’ rights;

C. whereas according to Iran Human Rights, at least 975 people were executed in Iran in 2024, the highest number in more than two decades; whereas this includes individuals arrested as minors, as well as European citizens;

D. whereas death penalty continues to be retained for acts protected by freedom of expression, religion or belief, including drinking alcohol and consensual same-sex relationships; whereas sexual relationships outside marriage remain punishable by stoning to death;

D. whereas political prisoners Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani were arrested in November 2022 and subjected to torture and prolonged solitary confinement, denied their basic rights during their incarceration and sentenced to death on charges of ‘armed rebellion against the state’, ‘enmity against God’ and ‘corruption on earth’;

E. whereas since the Woman Life Freedom uprising in 2022, the Iranian authorities have embarked on a brutal killing escalation, using the death penalty as a tool of oppression against protesters, dissidents and ethnic minorities;

E. whereas several human rights defenders, including Pakhshan Azizi, Wirishe Moradi, Mahvash Sabet and Sharifeh Mohammadi, face severe persecution in Iran, with some sentenced to death and others imprisoned;

1. strongly condemns the sentence to death against political prisoners Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, on charges of armed rebellion against the state, enmity against God and corruption; urges to immediately halt any plans to execute them; denounces their arbitrary detention and the severe violations of fair trial rights;

1. Reiterates its strong opposition to the death penalty; urges the Iranian Government to introduce an immediate moratorium leading to its abolition;

2. recalls its recent position decryingCondemns the decision by theIran’s Supreme Court of Iran to uphold the executiondeath sentence foragainst humanitarianBehrouz workersEhsani and humanMehdi rightsHassani, defendersdetained Pakhshanunder Aziziinhumane conditions and Wrishasubjected Moradi;to unfair trials;

3. expresses strong preoccupation for the conviction and death sentence against trade unionist Sharifeh Mohammadi;

3. Calls for their release, together with all prisoners currently on death row for political activism; recalls, in particular, the urgent cases of Pakhshan Azizi, Wirishe Moradi, Sharifeh Mohammadi and Mahvash Sabet;

4. is particularly concerned for the continuous political oppression against Baha'i human rights defenders; recalls in particular the case of Mahvash Sabet, who’s sentenced to prison despite critical heart conditions;

4. Condemns the unprecedented rise in executions and the systematic targeting of human rights activists and minorities through the death penalty and persecutions, in particular Christians, Baha’is, Kurds and Baluchis; calls for the immediate and unconditional release of individuals detained on account of their religion or belief;

5. firmly condemns the systematic repression and deliberate deterioration of human rights in Iran, characterized by a severe crackdown on protests and freedom of expression, escalation of executions, suppression of women's rights, persecution of ethnic and religious minorities;

5. Demands the immediate release and repatriation of and dropping of all charges against condemned EU nationals, including Cécile Kohler, Jacques Paris and Ahmadreza Djalali; condemns Iran’s use of hostage diplomacy;

6. expresses deep concern over the unprecedented rise in executions, particularly of women, and callsCalls on the EUCouncil and its Member States to pursuemake allthe availableabolition measures,of includingthe targeteddeath sanctionssentence againstand Iranianthe officialsrelease responsibleof forpolitical humanprisoners rightsand violations;EU demandnationals toa establishcondition afor moratoriumimproving onrelations deathwith sentences;Iran;

7. urges the Iranian authorities to immediately release, safely repatriate and drop all charges against condemned EU nationals, including French nationals Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, as well as Swedish national Ahmadreza Djalali; strongly condemns the Islamic Republic’s use of hostage diplomacy and inhumane detention conditions;

7. Reiterates its call on Iran to give the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran and the UN Fact-Finding Mission unimpeded access to the country;

8. Reiterates its call on the Council to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation;organisation and continue identifying and sanctioning Iranian officials responsible for human rights violations;

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

9. Encourages the Commission and Member States to expand technical and financial assistance for Iranian civil society;

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