Resolution on the latest attacks against women and women’s rights defenders in Iran, and Iran’s arbitrary detention of EU nationals

The European Parliament adopted by 516 votes to 4, with 27 abstentions, a resolution on the latest attacks against women and women’s rights defenders in Iran, and Iran’s arbitrary detention of EU nationals.

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

Parliament strongly condemned the ongoing deterioration of the human rights situation in Iran and the Iranian authorities’ brutal murders of women, including Armita Geravand and Mahsa Jina Amini. It called for the immediate release of all human rights defenders and victims of arbitrary detention, including Narges Mohammadi, Sepideh Gholian, Golrokh Iraee, Nasrin Javadi and Bahareh Hedayat.

The resolution strongly condemned Iran’s practice of arbitrary detention, withholding necessary medical treatment, police violence, torture and imposing death sentences, as well as the alarming rise in executions.

Against this background, the Iranian authorities are urged to:

- immediately end all discrimination against women and girls, including mandatory veiling;

- withdraw the bill ‘promoting the culture of chastity and the hijab’ and repeal all discriminatory gender laws;

- allow the UN fact-finding mission in Iran full and unimpeded access to conduct independent investigations;

Moreover, Parliament called on the European External Action Service and Member States to support Sakharov and Nobel Prize laureates, and urged Member States to facilitate the issuance of visas and asylum and emergency grants to those who need them.

Condemning Iran’s hostage diplomacy, the EU is urged 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, including by issuing more warnings against visiting Iran.

Lastly, Parliament reiterated its call to initiate criminal investigations into crimes committed by the Iranian authorities under universal jurisdiction, designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation and sanction those responsible for human rights violations in Iran.