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Human rights situation in Iran, notably the cases of Taraneh Rahimi and Leila Abolhasani

TA-10-2026-0335 · P10_TA(2026)0335 · PE788.321

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 9 Oct 2026

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Parliament's resolution condemns Iran's crackdown on the January 2026 protests and the death sentences on Taraneh Rahimi and Leila Abolhasani. It demands the sentences be reversed, executions halted, capital punishment abolished and political prisoners released. It raises concerns about women sentenced to death on security charges, condemns persecution of religious and ethnic minorities, and the targeting of women's rights activists, journalists and human rights defenders. It urges EU sanctions on officials responsible for the January 2026 killings, calls for gender apartheid to be codified as a crime against humanity, and asks embassies in Tehran to observe trials and visit prisons. It calls on member states to use universal jurisdiction, on the UN Security Council to refer Iran to the International Criminal Court, and for more support for the UN Fact-Finding Mission and Iranian civil society.

Key points

  1. Condemns the verdicts against Taraneh Rahimi, Leila Abolhasani and others, and calls for the sentences to be reversed, executions halted and all political prisoners released.
  2. Calls on the Iranian authorities to give Taraneh and Romina Rahimi immediate access to appropriate medical care.
  3. Calls on the Iranian regime to stop violence against civilians, halt all executions, abolish capital punishment and release all those arbitrarily detained.
  4. Raises serious concerns about the growing number of women sentenced to death on false security-related charges.
  5. Condemns persecution of religious and ethnic minorities, naming Kurds, Baluchis, Ahwazi Arabs, Azeris, Baha'is, Sunnis, Jews, Zoroastrians and Christians.
  6. Condemns the intensified campaign against women's rights activists, journalists and human rights defenders.
  7. Condemns the use of transnational repression to target and intimidate family members of protesters, dissidents and human rights defenders.
  8. Urges the Council and the VP/HR to expand EU sanctions to all officials responsible for the January 2026 massacres, including judges, prosecutors and intelligence officials.
  9. Calls for the codification of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity under international law.
  10. Calls on member states' embassies in Tehran to implement the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders through systematic trial observation and prison visits.
  11. Calls on member states to investigate under universal jurisdiction to hold Iranian officials accountable, and on the UN Security Council to refer Iran to the International Criminal Court.
  12. Calls for stronger support for the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran and encourages the Commission to increase financial, material and legal support for Iranian civil society.

Who is affected

  • Iranian authorities, who are called on to reverse sentences, halt executions, abolish capital punishment and release detainees.
  • Taraneh Rahimi, Leila Abolhasani and Romina Rahimi, whose sentences and medical care the resolution addresses.
  • Iranian officials responsible for the January 2026 killings, judges, prosecutors and intelligence officials, whom EU sanctions should target.
  • Member states, asked to use universal jurisdiction and to have their embassies in Tehran observe trials and visit prisons.
  • Iranian civil society, for which the Commission is encouraged to increase financial, material and legal support.

Figures and deadlines

  • January 2026: Iran's nationwide uprising, met with state violence of unprecedented scale, with thousands killed.
  • 20-year-old Taraneh Rahimi and 43-year-old Leila Abolhasani: given death sentences in Isfahan over the protests.
  • March 2026: authorities began executing the January protesters after sham prosecutions based on confessions obtained through torture.
  • At least 12 women are facing the death penalty for broadly applied national security offences.