In 2024 alone, the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran carried out 975 executions. And it has not stopped since: in 2025, another 230 people have already been executed so far – many of them for their political beliefs, critical social media posts, or vague charges like “enmity against God.” Dozens of political prisoners have been sentenced based on broad and unclear accusations related to national security. The regime is building gallows where bridges are needed.
Behrouz Ehsani (69) and Mehdi Hassani (48) also face execution. They were sentenced in an unfair five-minute trial, during which they were not even allowed to speak. Both report being tortured while in detention.
European Parliament adopts resolution
Following a debate on the current situation in Iran, the European Parliament adopted a resolution that I helped negotiate on behalf of the Greens. In this resolution, we:
- Reiterate our opposition to the death penalty and urge the Iranian Government to abolish it
- Condemns the death sentence against Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani
- Call for their release, together with all prisoners currently on death row for political activism
- Condemn the unprecedented rise in executions and the systematic targeting of human rights activists and minorities through the death penalty and persecutions
- Demand the immediate release and repatriation of and dropping of all charges against condemned EU nationals
- Call on the Council and Member States to make the abolition of the death sentence and the release of political prisoners and EU nationals a condition for improving relations with Iran
- Reiterate our call on Iran to give the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran and the UN Fact-Finding Mission unimpeded access to the country
- Reiterate our call on the Council to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation and continue identifying and sanctioning Iranian officials responsible for human rights violations
My plenary speech:
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