On the systematic repression of human rights in Iran, notably the cases of Pakhshan Azizi and Wrisha Moradi, and the taking of EU citizens as hostages

B100066/2025

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the systematic repression of human rights in Iran, notably the cases of Pakhshan Azizi and Wrisha Moradi, and the taking of EU citizens as hostages

(2025/2511(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas Kurdish activists and social worker Pakhshan Azizi and prominent advocate for women’s rights, Verisheh (Wrisha) Moradi, are at the immediate risk of execution after being arbitrarily detained, subjected to torture, and denied fair trial, emblematic of the regime’s broader campaign against dissenting voices;

B.whereas the Iranian authorities frequently deploy state repression to suppress the rights of women, ethnic minorities, and activists, including enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and inhumane punishments;

C.whereas the government of Iran also arbitrarily detains and executes EU and dual EU-Iranian nationals.

1.Firmly denounces the Iranian regimeʼs unrestrained repression of human rights, including the excessive use of the death penalty, particularly targeting women and minorities;

2.Calls the Iranian government to promptly revoke the death sentence for Pakhshan Azizi and Verisheh (Wrisha) Moradi and release them unconditionally; underlines that the charges against the two Kurdish activists cannot be considered “most serious crimes”;

3.Urges Iran to stop using the death penalty, halt executions and release and retrial persons threatened with execution in a due process, particularly for charges that under international law never result in capital punishment; calls on Iranian authorities to respect their international obligations under the ICCPR;

4.Demands the immediate unconditional release of all arbitrarily detained foreign and dual nationals, including EU nationals Ahmadreza Djalali, Olivier Grondeau, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris; strongly denounces the Iranian government´s hostage diplomacy;

5.Condemns in the strongest terms the execution of Jamshid Sharmahd and urges the Iranian government to provide details on the circumstances of his death and for his remains to be returned to his family;

6.Urges Iranian authorities to provide the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran and the UN Fact-Finding Mission with full, unimpeded access to enact their mandates; calls on the EU and Member States to fully support the mission and support the renewal of its mandate;

7.Calls on the HR/VP and EU Member States to ensure that the plight of Iranian women and the fate of EU hostages are consistently raised in all diplomatic engagements with Iranian officials;

8.Calls on the Council to continue identifying and sanctioning perpetrators responsible for serious human rights violations and hostage diplomacy; Reiterates its call to add the IRGC to the EU list of terrorist organisations;

9.Calls on EU member states to initiate criminal investigations against Iranian officials accountable for serious human rights violations, notably under universal jurisdiction;

10.Calls on the European Commission to increase technical and capacity support to Iranian civil society and allocate a larger budget for related activities, including considerable funds to implementing organisations;

11.Calls the Member States to facilitate visas, asylum and emergency grants for those who need to flee Iran, particularly women and girls;

12.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to EU institutions, HRVP, the Member States, and Iran.