What changed

B90120/2024

B90122/2024

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the increased number of executions in Iran, in particular the case of Mohammad Ghobadlou

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Iran,

– having regard to the UniversalRule Declaration132(2) of Humanits RightsRules of 10 December 1948,Procedure,

– having regard to Rule 132(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas scores of Iranians have taken to the streets across Iran to protest the brutal regime, including since the death of Mahsa Amini; whereas Iran has weaponised criminal proceedings and the death penalty to stamp out dissent, and its use of the death penalty amounts to state-sanctioned killing;

A. Whereas according to Amnesty International, Iran has the highest number of executions per capita in the world; whereas, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, executions in Iran are increasing exponentially; Whereas over 800 individuals were executed in 2023, and over 500 protesters were killed as part of the ongoing suppression of the Women, Life, and Freedom movement;

B. whereas Mohammad Ghobadlou’s appeal against his death penalty was rejected on 23 January 2024 and he was executed the same day; whereas his unfair trial for allegedly killing a police officer during nationwide protests in September 2022, has been marred by torture allegations; whereas Ghobadlou’s unlawful execution marks at least the ninth in connection to the “woman, life, freedom” uprising in Iran;

B. Whereas on 23 January 2024 the authorities arbitrarily executed Mohammad Ghobadlou, a 23-year-old mentally-disabled protester, following his arrest in September 2022 as part of a crackdown on protesters; whereas political prisoner Farhad Salima was also executed;

C. whereas in recent weeks, several Kurdish political prisoners have also been arbitrarily executed, after they received grossly unfair and secretive trials; whereas the Iranian authorities have refused to return their and Ghobadlou’s bodies to their families for burial;

C. Whereas the Iranian Constitution guarantees equal rights for ethnic minorities; whereas the death penalty is disproportionately applied to minorities, as well as human rights defenders and journalists; whereas Iran’s unfair legal system is a pillar of its hostage diplomacy strategy;

D. whereas Iran has reportedly executed over 800 people in 2023, the highest figure since 2015, and the highest per capita globally; whereas Iranian courts routinely fail to provide fair trials, accept confessions obtained under torture, do not allow medical care to prisoners, and restrict detainees’ access to legal counsel; whereas Iran’s police and security forces perpetrate widespread torture, rape and cruel and inhuman and degrading treatment against detainees in prisons, often leading to their deaths;

1. Calls on Iran to allow an impartial international investigation into human rights violations, including the killing of Mohammad Ghobadlou, and other peaceful demonstrators, torture and ill-treatment of detainees;

E. whereas Iran routinely uses hostage diplomacy as a foreign policy tool, including in the cases of Dr Ahmedreza Djalali and Johan Floderus, who both face possible execution;

2. Strongly condemns the executions of peaceful demonstrators in Iran, including that of Mohammad Ghobadlou; calls on Iran to put an immediate end to all executions and strive for the complete abolition of the death penalty; reiterates its firm opposition to the use of the death penalty at all times and under all circumstances;

F. whereas Iran remains the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism; whereas since the protests, Iranian intelligence services have increased surveillance and intimidation against Iranian diaspora in Europe;

3. Reaffirms its support for the Iranian people in their struggle for change, justice, freedoms and rights, particularly against restrictions on women;

1. Strongly condemns the execution of Mohammad Ghobadlou as well as others recently executed by the Iranian regime and extends its condolences to their families; calls for the release of their bodies for burial;

4. Reiterates its call to add the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its subsidiary forces to the EU terrorist list, and to adopt additional restrictive measures against Iranian individuals and entities responsible for grave human rights violations;

2. Deplores the regime’s weaponisation of the death penalty to stamp out dissent and stresses that it amounts to state-sanctioned killing; calls on the authorities to abolish the death penalty;

5. Urges the Iranian authorities to withdraw all charges against anyone detained solely for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression; Calls on the Iranian authorities to respect their international obligations, including those of the ICCPR, and to grant EU observers access to all processes related to the protests;

3. Calls for the unconditionally release all those at risk of execution in Iran, including Ahmadreza Djalali and Johan Floderus; calls furthermore for the unconditional release of all those unlawfully detained, including prisoners of conscience;

6. Calls on EU member states to support the renewal of the mandates of the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran and the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran at the upcoming UN Human Rights Council session;

4. Reiterates its support for the aspirations of the Iranian people who want to live in a free, inclusive and democratic country; calls on the Iranian authorities to eliminate all forms of discrimination against persons belonging to minorities;

7. Expects the EU, including the VP/HR to continue raising human rights concerns with the Iranian authorities, in particular in the context of the EU political dialogue in Iran; reiterates that respect for human rights is a key component of EU-Iran relations;

5. Calls on the Council to impose further sanctions on Iranian officials who have committed serious human rights violations, including who are responsible for executions and arbitrary detentions; calls on the Council to list with urgency the IRGC on the EU terror list;

8. Calls on the VP/HR to develop an EU strategy to counter Iran’s hostage diplomacy against EU nationals;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the relevant parties.

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, VP/HR, the Member States, the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and Iranian government.