In a discussion organised by the Foreign Affairs Committee and Subcommittee on Human Rights together with the delegation for relations with Iran on Tuesday, MEPs spoke with a range of Iranian guest speakers about how the EU can provide tangible support to lay the groundwork for a peaceful, inclusive and democratic development in Iran.
In particular, MEPs heard testimonies from the invited participants about the significance of people having access to a safe internet connection, amid state disruption and censorship aimed at preventing contact with foreign countries. MEPs expressed their worries about the freedom of hundreds of political prisoners, especially women, marginalised Kurdish minorities, and torture survivors.
Committee members underlined the need to further support and sponsor individual cases and protect Iranian residents in the EU and abroad, as many of them are facing personal attacks and threats of persecution and cannot return to their country. they repeated the call for the EU to add the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to its list of terrorist organisations, three months after a plenary resolution adopted on January 19, 2023.
Finally, Committee members agreed to continue to address the human rights situation in Iran on a regular basis with the European External Action Service and with relevant UN-mandate holders in Geneva.
“We stand in full solidarity with the courageous people of Iran who risk their lives by taking the streets and speaking out for freedom and justice again, and again and again. Our excellent panellists highlighted how important our continued support is. We must not and will not let them down. Tyranny will not win. We stand up for dignity, democracy and human rights, we stand with the people of Iran,” said Udo Bullmann (S&D, DE), Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights.
