On the increasing and systemic repression against women in Iran

B100202/2024

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the increasing and systemic repression against women in Iran

(2024/2951(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Iran,

– having regard to Rule 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

Whereas systematic violations of women and girls’ human rights by the Iranian government and its so-called “morality” police increased since the beginning of President Raisi’s term in 2021 and show no decrease under President Pezeshkian;

Whereas the ‘Protection of the Family through Promoting the Culture of Hijab and Chastity’ law was approved by the Guardian Council in September 2024 and will further strengthen the government’s suppression of women; whereas this could amount to gender apartheid;

Whereas the Iranian government announced its intention to open a so-called 'treatment clinic' for women who defy strict hijab laws;

Whereas Iranian human rights defenders continue resisting the systemic discrimination of women, despite facing harassment, imprisonment, torture, and death for challenging repressive laws, with particularly female activists being targeted, as evidenced by the cases of Nasrin Sotoudeh, Jamshid Sharmahd, and Mahsa Jina Amini; whereas many arrested during the brutally repressed “Women, Life, Freedom movement” are still imprisoned;

Whereas jailed Iranian women’s rights advocate Narges Mohammadi won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize;

Strongly condemns the worsening human rights situation in Iran, including the widespread, and disproportionate use of force against peaceful protestors and the inhumane detention, torture and killings of women such as Nasrin Sotoudeh, Jamshid Sharmahd, and Mahsa Jina Amini;

Further deplores the Iranian regime’s increasing weaponisation of psychiatric care and dehumanisation of women such as Daryaei Ahoo;

Expresses its full solidarity with the Iranian people, especially women, participating in peaceful protests despite the repercussions they are facing;

Demands that the Iranian authorities immediately and unconditionally release anyone imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly including Ahmadreza Djalali and Nahid Taghavi;

Calls on the Iranian government to fully end its systemic discrimination against women and girls, including mandatory veiling, to repeal the “promoting the culture of chastity and the hijab’ law” as well as all other discriminatory gender laws;

Reiterates its call on the Council to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation and to expand EU sanctions to all those responsible for human rights violations in Iran;

Reiterates its call on the Commission and the Member States to increase support to Iranian civil society; urges the Member States to facilitate the issuance of humanitarian visas to those who need to leave Iran, particularly women and girls;

Urges the Iranian government to grant unrestricted access to the UN Fact-Finding Mission and the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran; Calls on the EU and its Member States to support the renewal of the Special Rapporteur's mandate and to ensure robust follow-up on the fact-finding Mission to ensure accountability for ongoing human rights violations;

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;