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

B100082/2025

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 its previous resolutions on Iran,

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

whereas the human rights situation in Iran has significantly worsened, with a sharp rise in executions, including 901 individuals in 2024 alone, many of whom were women, political dissidents, and individuals connected to the protests sparked by Mahsa Amini's death;

Whereas the Iranian regime targets female and minority activists, such as Pakhshan Azizi, Wrisha Moradi, with prosecutions based on coerced confessions and inadequate legal representation, often leading to death sentences;

Whereas in January 2025 the Supreme Court upheld a death sentence to Pakhshan Azizi, Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, members of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign composed of political prisoners calling for the abolition of capital punishment;

Whereas dozens of innocent EU nationals, among whom Cécile Kohler, Jacques Paris and Olivier Grondeau have been arbitrarily detained in Iran, without access to fair trials, as part of Iran’s broader strategy of hostage diplomacy, further highlighting the regime’s disregard for human rights, international law, and diplomatic norms;

Urges the annulment of all death sentences against Iranian human rights defenders and calls for an immediate moratorium on capital punishment, given Iran’s egregious record of due process violations and consistent disregard for international laws governing the use of the death penalty;

Demands that Iran immediately and unconditionally releases all human rights defenders and political prisoners who have been unjustly imprisoned, including Pakhshan Azizi, Wrisha Moradi, Behrouz Ehsani, Mehdi Hassani and at least 54 other political prisoners on death row;

Calls for the EU and its Member States to increase support for Iranian human rights defenders and expresses its full support and solidarity with Iranians united under the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement and the "No to Execution Tuesdays" campaign;

Condemns Iran’s hostage diplomacy; urges the EU to launch a strategy to counter it with a dedicated task force to better assist detainees’ families and effectively prevent further hostage-taking; calls for all non-essential travel by EU citizens to Iran to be discouraged; calls on Iran to immediately and unconditionally release all EU nationals as well as all other political prisoners;

Condemns the Iranian regime’s systemic suppression of human rights movements and persecution of minorities, including Kurds, Baluchis, Christians, and Baha’is, who face discrimination, arrests, and violations of fundamental rights aimed at silencing dissent;

Reiterates its call on the Council to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation and to expand the EU sanctions to all those responsible for human rights violations, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i, Prosecutor-General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad, and Judge Iman Afshari;

Reiterates its call on the Commission and the Member States to increase technical and capacity support to Iranian civil society;

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.