On Thursday, January 23, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the systemic violation of human rights by the Iranian regime. The resolution, passed with 556 votes in favor, 6 against, and 42 abstentions, highlights the Iranian regime’s increased use of executions and “hostage diplomacy,” calling for a comprehensive European response.
The European Parliament urged:
- The immediate and unconditional release of human rights defenders and unjustly imprisoned political prisoners, including Pakhshan Azizi, Varisha Moradi, Behrouz Ehsani, and Mehdi Hasani, alongside 56 other political prisoners currently on death row.
- The designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization by the European Council.
- The expansion of EU sanctions to individuals responsible for human rights violations, including the regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Massoud Pezeshkian, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei (Head of Judiciary), Mohammad Movahedi Azad (Attorney General), and Judge Iman Afshari.
- The end of all executions in Iran, while condemning the use of torture and forced confessions in Iranian courts.
- The release of European nationals detained in Iran, including French citizens Olivier Grondou, Cécile Kohler, and Jacques Paris, as well as Ahmadreza Djalali, a Swedish-Iranian scientist.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to MEPs who joined photo action @Europarl_EN for #StopExecutionsInIran.
Your solidarity resonates deeply w/ Pakhshan, Behrouz, Mehdi, Pouya, Vahid,Ali Akbar &all political prisoners facing execution.
They hear your support & draw strength from it pic.twitter.com/RSKTlGnfMX— Friends of a Free Iran – EP (@FOFI_EP) January 23, 2025
Rise in Executions and Women’s Rights Crackdown
The resolution emphasizes the sharp increase in executions in 2024, with over 1,000 individuals reportedly executed, including 12 prisoners on New Year’s Day alone. It also notes that the Iranian regime continues to target women’s rights activists, particularly in Kurdish regions, following the death of Mahsa Amini in custody.
Speeches by MEPs
During the debate preceding the resolution, multiple Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) delivered impassioned speeches highlighting the gravity of the situation in Iran:
- Petras Austrevicius (Lithuania) condemned the Iranian judiciary as a tool of repression, citing over 900 executions in 2024 and calling for the immediate suspension of executions for Pakhshan Azizi, Varisha Moradi, Behrouz Ehsani, and Mehdi Hasani. He urged the EU to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization and take a proportional response to the Iranian regime’s crimes.
- Isabel Benjumea (Spain) questioned the EU’s continued diplomatic ties with Iran and called for stronger sanctions, emphasizing that words alone are insufficient to address the regime’s atrocities. She demanded decisive action to support the Iranian people and victims of the regime.
- Javier Zarzalejos (Spain) condemned mass executions, describing them as tools of repression by Iran’s faltering regime. He called for a new approach to Iran that firmly supports the Iranian people and their democratic, secular resistance.
We continue to call for a halt to the executions of Pakhshan Azizi, Wrisha Moradi, Behrouz Ehsani, Mehdi Hassani and at least 54 other political prisoners on death row. The #EU policy towards #Iran must be proportionate to the crimes committed by the Teheran regime. pic.twitter.com/YUzAXFqFOZ
— Petras Austrevicius (@petras_petras) January 23, 2025
- Carlo Ciccioli (Italy) described the resolution as a step forward but stressed the need for greater action to end impunity for theocratic rulers. He highlighted Amnesty International’s recent plea to halt the executions of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hasani and called for a timeline for free elections in Iran.
- Francisco Assis (Portugal) drew attention to the plight of detained members of the Iranian opposition group People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), many of whom have survived atrocities like the 1988 mass executions. He condemned torture and baseless accusations against dissidents and echoed Amnesty International’s call to halt imminent executions.
- Jessica Van Leuven (Netherlands) emphasized the courage of Iranian prisoners facing execution, stating that the EU has a moral obligation to amplify their voices. She encouraged MEPs to unite in condemning Iran’s human rights violations and supporting Iranian human rights defenders.
@IsabelBenjumea : Una vez más este Parlamento alza su voz, de una manera unida, para denunciar las atrocidades del régimen iraní. Un régimen que, según los datos, ha ejecutado a mil personas en el año 2024, … pic.twitter.com/JsNK0lBVrH
— Friends of a Free Iran – EP (@FOFI_EP) January 22, 2025
- Reinhold Lopatka (Austria) described the Iranian regime as “among the most brutal on earth,” highlighting its use of murder, torture, and mass arrests to suppress civil society and protests following Mahsa Amini’s death. He called the regime’s actions “shocking and unacceptable” and urged the EU to broaden restrictive measures and support Iranian civil society and EU citizens detained in Iran.
- Magnus Brunner (Austria) reiterated the EU’s support for the Iranian people’s aspirations for a future respecting human rights and freedoms. He condemned the judiciary’s use of executions as a tool of oppression and pledged EU backing for international accountability mechanisms.
"The human rights crisis in Iran requires much more than words. We must act to end the impunity enjoyed by the theocratic regime in all its forms of brutal repression, with over 1,000 executions in 2024 alone.
"We must support the Iranian people, and through this resolution,… pic.twitter.com/Da2yZpsFmp
— ECR Group (@ecrgroup) January 22, 2025
Broader European Condemnation
The European Parliament also condemned the execution of German-Iranian dual citizen Jamshid Sharmahd and called on Iran to provide details about the conditions of his death and return his body to his family. Additionally, the Parliament urged the EU to increase financial support for Iranian civil society.
In a unifying statement, MEPs pledged to stand with the people of Iran in their fight for freedom, democracy, and human rights. They reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to holding the Iranian regime accountable for its widespread abuses, including mass executions, torture, and the silencing of dissent.