Resolution on Iran, in particular the poisoning of hundreds of schoolgirls

The European Parliament adopted by 516 votes to 5, with 14 abstentions, a resolution on Iran, in particular the poisoning of hundreds of schoolgirls.

The text adopted in plenary was tabled by the EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA, ECR, The Left groups and Members.

Women and girls in Iran have led large-scale peaceful protests demanding democracy and an end to systemic discrimination against women. The protests were initiated by women demanding accountability for the death of Mahsa Jina Amini as well as an end to violence and discrimination against women in Iran, in particular in the form of imposing veiling.

In addition, thousands of girls and women across Iran have been attacked with toxic chemicals since November 2022, preventing girls from attending school. 11- year-old Fatemeh Rezaei died after allegedly being poisoned with gas at her school.

Parliament strongly condemned this atrocious attempt to silence women and girls in Iran. It expressed its deep solidarity with the Iranian students poisoned in the incidents and with their families and reiterated its absolute support for Iranian women’s and girls’ demand to abolish all systemic discrimination.

The UN Human Rights Council is called on to task the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission (IIFFM) with an independent investigation into the schoolgirl poisonings and called for those responsible to be held to account.

Iran is urged to:

- grant full access to the UN IIFFM and the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran;

- guarantee non-discriminatory access to education for girls and repeal any legislation that discriminates against girls and women;

- respect Iranians’ rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and the freedom of the media;

- immediately and unconditionally release all those imprisoned or prosecuted for exercising their fundamental rights and for all charges against them to be dropped.

The resolution called on the Council to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation and to expand the EU sanctions list, including under the EU Global Human Rights sanctions mechanisms, to all those responsible for human rights violations in Iran.

Lastly, Member States are urged to facilitate the issuance of visas and asylum and emergency grants to those who need to leave Iran, particularly women and girls.