At my initiative, the Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group (DEG) this week once again honored the 2023 Sakharov Prize laureates – the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. Their recognition is well deserved – but acknowledgment alone is not enough. What we need are actions.

Two panel discussions highlighted how repression in Iran has intensified in recent years, how the regime pursues dissidents even in Europe, and what tools the EU has to hold it accountable.

In 2024, the Iranian regime executed more than 900 people – the highest number in nearly a decade. By the end of August 2025, that number had already reached 841. This means three executions every single day. Every number means a human life. The Iranian regime has turned the death penalty into a weapon of terror, silencing all forms of dissent. Its shadow reaches far beyond Iran’s borders.

Given the situation in Iran and the regime’s repressions abroad, urgent action is needed:

• The systematic oppression of women in Iran is #GenderApartheid. It must finally be recognized as a crime under international law. Only then can we hold the regime accountable and stop its attempts to crush dissent.
• The regime relies on transnational repression: activists, journalists, and Iranians in exile are monitored, threatened, and intimidated – across borders. The international community must respond and strengthen protection for all those fighting against the regime.
• Impunity must end. The EU and the international community must increase pressure on the Iranian regime – so that the Sakharov Prize is not only a symbol, but leads to real action. Only then can justice be delivered for those suffering under the regime.

You can find more in my speech at the DEG session, which was also covered by Euronews.