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

B100086/2025

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 is worsening as women, children, and ethnic and religious minorities, such as Christians, Kurds, and Baluch, face systemic oppression, including poverty, forced labour, child marriage, and lack of education; whereas the total number of executions in Iran surpassed 900 in 2024;

whereas Kurdish woman activist Pakhshan Azizi, was arrested in Tehran on 4 August 2023; whereas on 23 July 2024, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her to death for “armed rebellion against the state” and “membership of opposition groups”; whereas on 8 January 2025, the Supreme Court upheld her death sentence, as well as the death sentence against Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani; whereas reportedly Azizi had been subjected to severe psychological and physical torture in solitary confinement, while also being denied access to family visits and legal representation of her choice;

whereas in November 2024 Kurdish dissident Verisheh Moradi, was sentenced to death for “armed rebellion against the state”; whereas her allegations of torture and other ill-treatment were never investigated; whereas her appeal before Supreme Court is pending;

whereas dual nationals, including EU citizens, face targeted arrests in Iran on vague charges; whereas many of them are held in degrading conditions with no chance of a fair trial;

whereas following intense diplomatic efforts by the German and Italian governments, German-Iranian activist Nahid Taghavi and Italian journalist Cecilia Sala were released from arbitrary detention in Iran in January 2025.

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Is deeply concerned by the specific targeting of Kurdish women activists with politically motivated charges; urges the Iranian authorities to immediately revoke the death sentence against Pakhshan Azizi and Verisheh Moradi and all others on death row, to investigate allegations of torture and denial of fair trial rights, and to put an end to the harassment and targeting of women activists in Iran.

Strongly condemns the increasing and systematic repression of ethnic and religious minorities, women and dissidents in Iran through laws and regulations that severely restrict their freedoms and rights; calls for the immediate and unconditional release of individuals detained on account of their religion or belief, or in relation to the defence of human rights;

Reiterates its calls on Iran to halt all executions that are in disregard to international law requirements;

Condemns Iran’s hostage diplomacy; urges the EU to launch an EU strategy to counter hostage diplomacy with a dedicated task force on Iran to better assist detainees’ families and effectively prevent further hostage-taking; calls on Iran to immediately and unconditionally release all detained EU nationals;

Reiterates its call on the Council to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation, noting that the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court’s ruling on the 2022 Bochum synagogue attack provides the necessary legal grounds;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Parliament and Government of Iran.